International organization, OSCE, disbands Minsk Group, signifying an end to their mediation efforts in the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The Dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group: A Turning Point in the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

The OSCE Minsk Group, the internationally mandated format for mediating the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia since 1992, has been officially dissolved. The decision, announced by the OSCE on Monday, comes after an agreement signed by the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in early August, alongside US President Donald Trump.

The dissolution of the Minsk Group was a long-standing demand by Azerbaijan as a precondition to signing a peace agreement with Armenia. Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry praised the decision as an important step towards the practical implementation of agreements with Armenia. The Finnish Foreign Minister, Elina Valtonen, who chaired the Minsk Group, congratulated Armenia and Azerbaijan on their agreements towards peace and normalization.

However, the dissolution does not include Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians in its decision-making process. The National Assembly of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) issued an official appeal to the OSCE participating countries on behalf of the displaced Armenian people, urging them to prevent the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group to ensure protection of the rights of displaced Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians have advocated for the preservation of the Minsk Group, despite its dissolution being agreed upon by both Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The appeal addresses the member states with deep urgency and grave concern regarding the termination of the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group. It highlights the ongoing displacement and rights deprivation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenian population despite the Minsk Group's dissolution. The message concludes by stating that legitimizing the ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh and considering the conflict resolved would leave an indelible and bloody stain on the history, authority, and principles of the OSCE.

Representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians who were displaced in Armenia following their exodus from the region in September 2023, submitted an appeal to OSCE states urging them to prevent the Minsk Group's dissolution. The appeal notes that the conflict cannot be deemed resolved while an entire population remains uprooted and deprived of its inalienable rights.

The OSCE Secretary General, Feridun Sinirlioğlu, described the move as a 'historic development'. The dissolution underlines what diplomacy can achieve, even after decades of conflict and mistrust. The Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, and the Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev, have signed an agreement to dissolve the Minsk Group. The Minsk Group's statement outlines steps for the closure of its structures, with only administrative functions continuing until December 2025.

The dissolution of the Minsk Group demonstrates that agreement remains possible when there is a shared determination between parties to find common ground. However, the ongoing concerns and appeals from Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians underscore the complexities and challenges that lie ahead in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.