Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, together with OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu, on September 1 issued a statement on the termination of the Minsk Process. This means the end of the OSCE's diplomatic efforts in connection with the signing of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, UNN reports with reference to the OSCE.
Details
High-ranking officials of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe decided to cease the activities of the structures that were created to resolve the conflict around Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The co-chairs of the Minsk Process were the USA, Russia, and France.
I would like to once again express my sincerest congratulations to Armenia and Azerbaijan on their historic agreements on peace and normalization of relations and their resolute decision to begin their swift implementation
Finland chairs the OSCE in 2025. The decision of the organization's ministerial council confirms previous agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan. All 57 OSCE member states voted for this.
On August 8, a joint declaration was signed in Washington by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. US President Donald Trump was present at the signing ceremony of the declaration.
The Minsk Process will completely cease to exist on December 1, 2025.
Context
The Minsk Process was launched in 1992 as a format for peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan under the chairmanship of the OSCE. Nagorno-Karabakh is a region with a predominantly Armenian population. Azerbaijan considered this territory occupied by Armenia after the first Karabakh war of 1992-1994. During the 44-day war in 2020, Azerbaijan managed to regain part of the Karabakh territory under its control. In September 2023, Baku fully restored its power in the region.
The confrontation, which lasted more than 35 years, ended with peace agreements.