The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has launched the practical implementation of shutting down the Minsk Process and dismantling related structures, according to Toni Sandell, Deputy Head of Finland's Chairmanship Task Force at the OSCE, as reported by Report.az .
"The OSCE Secretariat has already begun executing the decision adopted by the OSCE Permanent Council on September 1, following a joint request by Azerbaijan and Armenia. The Secretariat is taking steps to close the Minsk Process and all related structures. This includes staffing matters, archival materials, and administrative functions. Only technical operations, such as transferring assets and equipment, will continue until the process is fully completed, which is expected by December 1," Sandell stated.
According to him, the work involves multiple areas, including the staff of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the High-Level Planning Group, and the management of documents and archives.
On August 8, 2025, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a joint declaration in Washington, officially terminating the Minsk Process.
The OSCE Minsk Group was established in 1992 by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In 1994, the co-chairmanship format was created, involving Russia, the United States, and France. For nearly three decades, the Minsk Group served as the main international platform for negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
However, following Azerbaijan’s military victory in the 2020 war, the group’s role effectively came to an end.
