ZANGEZUR AND GREENLAND: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

We are observing the dismantling of the world order that was established by nations following World War II, as they systematically dismantle it themselves. A transformation of the global landscape has commenced, which cannot unfold without profound shifts in international law and governance.

On December 22, the then-elected US President Donald Trump announced that owning and controlling Greenland is an absolute necessity for America. The very next day, on December 23, he emphasised that control over Greenland is strategically vital for Washington. In January, US Vice President James Vance remarked that Denmark does not seem capable of managing Greenland effectively, suggesting that the US might take charge of it. "There's no need for military intervention. Our forces are already stationed there. Greenland holds undeniable strategic importance for America. It boasts abundant natural resources," Vance noted.

Members of the US House of Representatives drafted legislation enabling Trump to negotiate with Denmark starting January 20 (the day he assumes office) "to secure the acquisition of Greenland." Americans have a history of acquiring territories through financial transactions; nearly half of the United States' landmass was obtained this way.

This is the logic of today, which allows one to argue, for instance, that Armenia is incapable of managing Zangezur, where villages lie abandoned and the economy struggles. Today, Zangezur is indeed of strategic significance to Azerbaijan. Therefore, following the same reasoning applied by the US, Azerbaijan could assert its claim over Zangezur. Moreover, there is a notable distinction between these two scenarios: Greenland has never been part of the US, whereas Zangezur, historically Azerbaijani, was unlawfully handed over to Armenia 105 years ago.

Why Was Zangezur Handed Over To Armenia?

Historically, Zangezur belongs to Azerbaijan. Even during the Soviet era, the majority of the population in this region were Azerbaijanis. All geographical names in Zangezur were also Azerbaijani. The transfer of this territory to Armenia was an act aimed at dividing Azerbaijan's land into two parts to achieve a geographical and subsequently political split within the Turkic world.

Until 1920, Zangezur was consistently recognised as Azerbaijani territory in all international documents, maps, and correspondence.

During the time of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the US and its military made significant efforts in the Caucasus to facilitate the transfer of Zangezur to Armenians, withdrawing their troops while ignoring the Dashnaks' massacres of innocent civilians and remaining silent about the forced expulsion of thousands of Azerbaijanis from their homes. The Soviets, who occupied the region after the Americans, documented the transfer of ancient Azerbaijani lands to Armenians.

On June 4, 1918, representatives of the first Armenian state in the Caucasus signed the Treaty of Batumi, defining borders between the Ottoman Empire, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. According to this treaty, Armenian territory—based on contradictory Armenian sources from the Soviet period—ranged from a minimum of 8-9 thousand square kilometres to a maximum of 10 thousand square kilometres (with these figures increasing in later editions). On June 17, 1918, the Armenian Dashnak government took possession of "its gift" from Azerbaijan—Irevan (Yerevan).

In June 1920—after Bolshevik power was established in Azerbaijan—a telegram was sent to RSFSR Foreign Minister G. Chicherin under G. Orjonikidze's signature stating, "Soviet power has been proclaimed in Garabagh and Zangezur, and these territories consider themselves part of the Azerbaijan Soviet Republic."

Attempts to detach Zangezur from Azerbaijan emerged periodically. In the fall of 1920, Russian Foreign Minister Chicherin prepared an agreement with Armenia on Lenin's orders, attempting once again to seize Azerbaijani territory and proposing to transfer Nakhchivan along with Zangezur to Armenia. On November 4 and 9, 1920—shortly before Soviet power was established in Armenia—Stalin made several public statements in Baku regarding the future fate of Zangezur and Nakhchivan. The essence of these statements revealed intentions to transfer Azerbaijani territories exclusively to Soviet Armenia. However, Nariman Narimanov, upon receiving this information, convened a Politburo meeting on November 4, 1920, attended by Stalin and Orjonikidze, where it was decided: "The proposed article (in the draft Russian-Armenian treaty – N.A.) concerning transferring Nakhchivan and Zangezur to Armenia is unacceptable both politically and strategically." Nevertheless, contrary to this decision, on November 30, 1920—following the proclamation of Soviet power in Armenia—the Central Committee of Azerbaijan's Communist Party (Bolsheviks) announced the transfer of Zangezur to Armenia.

On June 3, 1921, an evening meeting was held under the chairmanship of Sergo Orjonikidze at the Caucasian Bureau of RCP (B), recorded as protocol No. 6. Few were aware, however, that there was a classified appendix attached to this protocol containing a resolution from the Central Committee addressing the so-called "Zangezur issue." This appendix consisted of seven points, six related to Zangezur and one concerning Nagorno-Karabakh.

At the end of June 1921, the Revolutionary Military Council of the Caucasian Front resolved to launch offensives toward Zangezur from four directions. A report from the Caucasian Front's headquarters dated July 16, 1921, indicated the complete liberation of Zangezur. Thus concluded the process of annexing Western or Upper Zangezur to Armenia.

Interestingly, according to decisions made by the Politburo and Organisational Bureau of the Central Committee of CPA(Bolsheviks) on November 30 and Baku Council's declaration on December 1, 1920, all of Zangezur County was intended for transfer to Soviet Armenia. Ultimately, however, only the western part of the county was annexed in July 1921.

Brief on Greenland

Greenland is the largest island on Earth, covering an area of 2,166,086 square kilometres located in northeast North America. From a physical geography perspective, it belongs to North America; politically, however, it is part of Europe, forming an autonomous administrative unit within the Kingdom of Denmark along with surrounding smaller islands.

Greenland was discovered by Europeans in 982 when Norwegian Vikings led by Erik Thorvaldsson, also known as Erik the Red, landed on its shores. He established a colony there and named the island Greenland" introduced Christianity, and baptised its inhabitants. At that time, Greenlanders were considered citizens of Norway. In 1536, Norway and all its overseas possessions entered into a union with Denmark, which declared ownership over the island and began its re-colonisation in 1605. After dissolving the union in 1814, Norway exited Danish rule, but Greenland remained part of Denmark. Following World War II, Denmark abolished Greenland's colonial status; in 1953, it was proclaimed part of the Danish Kingdom with representation in Denmark's parliament.

In 1979, Greenland was granted substantial autonomy by a decision of the Danish Folketing (parliament). Ten years later, Greenland left the European Economic Community independently of Denmark to protect its citizens' right to hunt seals. In 2009, its autonomy powers were expanded: Denmark now subsidises half of Greenland's budget and remains solely responsible for its foreign policy and defence.

Greenland possesses 39 of 50 minerals classified by the United States as critically important for national security and economic stability.

Transferring Greenland to the US?

The idea of incorporating Greenland into the US is not new. It was first advocated by US Secretary of State William Henry Seward in 1867. In 1910, American Ambassador to Denmark Maurice Francis Egan proposed a scheme for taking over Greenland wherein Denmark would receive Mindanao Island in southern Philippines in exchange for ceding Greenland to the US Denmark planned to swap this island for Southern Jutland or Schleswig—territories lost during the Austro-Prussian-Danish War in the latter half of the 19th century. This attempt proved unsuccessful; Denmark managed to regain Jutland only in 1920 after World War I (1914-1918).

During this war, the US offered Denmark $25 million for the Virgin Islands—a sum equivalent to about half of Denmark's annual budget at that time. As a result of a referendum, 64.2% of residents in continental Denmark approved selling this territory, while nearly unanimous support came from Virgin Islanders for joining the US The deal was finalised on January 17, 1917, and ten years later, residents began receiving American passports.

Two other unsuccessful attempts at incorporating Greenland into the US are recorded: in 1946, President Harry Truman offered $100 million plus some Alaskan oil fields for it; and in 1967, the State Department officially inquired whether Denmark would sell Greenland and Iceland.

What do Greenland and Denmark think?

During his first presidential term, Donald Trump expressed intentions to acquire Greenland but received a refusal when he proposed purchasing it and offered Denmark $600 million annually for transferring autonomy over it indefinitely. At that time, Greenland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the island was not for sale but welcomed cooperation.

Currently, Trump has been informed again that Greenland is not for sale; however, Denmark could cooperate more closely with the US.

On January 3, Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Bourop Egede expressed a desire to achieve independence from Denmark.

Greenland's Minister for Business, Trade, Mineral Resources, Justice, and Gender Equality, Naaja Nathanielsen, expressed in a column for The Washington Post that Greenland does not wish to become part of the US but is open to negotiations that could benefit both nations. "The potential for developing Greenland's economy is immense… And we invite the United States to collaborate with us and establish closer business partnerships," she wrote.

A member of Greenland's governing coalition party, Siumut, Kuno Fenker, stated that Greenland intends to expand its defense agreement with the US, excluding Denmark from the arrangement. "We currently have a defense agreement between Denmark and the United States. We aim to renew it but establish a defense pact solely between Greenland and the United States," he remarked. Fenker added that separate agreements could be made with Denmark as well as similar arrangements with the European Union.

On January 13, Prime Minister Mute Egede announced that the citizens of the island should have authority over their land and the ability to determine their own future.

Zangezur is Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani population residing in Western Zangezur—now part of Soviet Armenia—has faced persistent discrimination. A significantly larger number of Azerbaijanis living compactly within the Armenian SSR were denied autonomy and the same rights granted to Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.

Between 1948 and 1950, based on a decree from the USSR Council of Ministers, resettlement occurred for collective farmers and other Azerbaijani populations from the Armenian SSR to the Kur-Araz Lowland within the Azerbaijan SSR. The resettlement took place in stages: 10 thousand people in 1948, 40 thousand in 1949, and 50 thousand people in 1950.

Following Yerevan's claims over Garabagh at the end of the 1980s—with directives from Armenian authorities—over 300 thousand Azerbaijanis remaining in Armenia were forcibly expelled. This process involved killings, torture, destruction of property, and widespread looting across the country. In total, more than 200 Azerbaijanis—including children, women, and the elderly—were killed in Armenia between 1987 and 1989. The first President of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosian, has acknowledged these crimes against humanity in video statements.

After liberating territories occupied by Armenia in Azerbaijan, a significant issue persists regarding Yerevan's failure to fulfil its obligations to establish ground transportation links between Eastern Zangezur and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The absence of secure and unobstructed communication between Nakhchivan and other parts of Azerbaijan denies its people their right to unhindered transport connections, which should be safe and unrestricted. This obligation was undertaken by Armenia in a trilateral statement on November 9-10, 2020. This means that neither border control nor customs procedures should apply to rail communication between Nakhchivan and other parts of Azerbaijan—specifically concerning the movement of individuals or goods between these two regions without stops or inspections on Armenian transit territory. Effectively, neither transported cargo nor the identities of individuals should involve Armenia in any way.

However, it appears that Yerevan is reluctant to honour its post-war commitments. This raises concerns about reopening ground communication between Eastern Zangezur and Nakhchivan at a new level. In today's context of global restructuring, this could signify Azerbaijan reclaiming its ancestral lands unlawfully annexed by Armenia—Western Zangezur.