One of the most serious outbreaks of armed conflict has taken place in the NagornoKarabakh Autonomous Oblast. an enclave in the Republic of Azerbaijan with a majority Armenian population. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan claim historical rights to the region and. according to official statistics. over 450 civilIans and 86 military personnel have died in the fighting over the past 4 years. Beginning In April 1990. the Armenian population of NagoronoKarabakh has in particular suffered from attacks and deportations by the Soviet Army and paramilitary forces of Azerbaijan. Moreover. Armenian villagers living in Azerbaijanl territory outside NagornoKarabakh have been forcibly deported to Armenia by Soviet Army transports. Recently. the Governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia have stated a desire to resolve the NagornoKarabakh crisis. and. through the arbitration efforts of President Yeltsin of Russia and President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan. signed the Zheleznovodsk Communique of September 23. 1991. the provisions of which are designed to lead to a favorable resolution of the conflict. Though the recent peace initiative brokered by Presidents Yeltsin and Nazarbayev offered
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deported deportations