Nagorno-Karabakh residents voted Sunday in a referendum on the republic's constitution, to reaffirm the predominantly Armenian region's independence from Azerbaijan. More than 100 international observers and journalists from Russia, France, the United States, Italy, Israel, Serbia and other countries monitored the referendum.
According to preliminary results, "A total of 78,389 voters (87%) out of 89,044 eligible voters participated in the poll, with 77,279 people, or 98.58% of the electorate, casting their ballots in favor of the constitution, while 549 people or 0.7% voted against it," said Sergei Nasibyan, the chairman of the central election commission.
Nasibyan said there was no voter turnout threshold at the referendum, but according to the unrecognized republic's legislation, at least one-third of registered voters were required to vote in favor of the constitution for it to be adopted.
"December 10 can be regarded as Nagorno-Karabakh Constitution Day," Nasibyan said, adding that the commission will announce the referendum's final results on December 13.
The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh first erupted in 1988 when it declared its independence from Azerbaijan, and moved to join Armenia. Over 30,000 people were killed on both sides in fighting between 1988 and 1994, and over 100 died following a 1994 ceasefire. Nagorno-Karabakh remained in Armenian hands, but tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted.
The Azerbaijani leadership is determined to restore its control over the separatist region.
