On behalf of the 150,000 displaced Armenians of Artsakh, representatives and organizations have appealed to the heads of OSCE member states, declaring that Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan lack the authority to unilaterally dismantle the Minsk Group against the will of the people of Artsakh, Aysor.am reports.
The appeal recalls that the Minsk Group's mandate was established in 1992 without formal requests from the governments of Armenia or Azerbaijan. For decades, it served as a mediation platform that helped maintain relative peace in Artsakh.
The statement emphasizes that Azerbaijan’s military offensives in 2020 and 2023 demonstrated the use of force to suppress Artsakh's right to self-determination, accompanied by genocidal policies, blockades, and ethnic cleansing.
“Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan, who violated the provisions of the Armenian Constitution, cannot represent the will of the people of Artsakh or defend their legal rights,” the appeal states.
Representatives of the Karabakh Armenian community demand the reactivation of the OSCE Minsk Group with three main objectives:
a) ensure the safe and internationally guaranteed return of Armenians to their homeland in Artsakh,
b) facilitate the return of prisoners and hostages, and establish an international center for missing persons,
c) restore the exercised right of self-determination for the Armenian population of Artsakh.
The applicants urge OSCE leaders to study the issue and place it on the summit agenda in accordance with the organization's rules, guided by the principles of international law.
On September 1, Armenia and Azerbaijan jointly announced the decision to dissolve the Minsk Group and affiliated structures, with the process expected to conclude by December.
