The Bishkek Protocol and the May 1994 Ceasefire

By the spring of 1994, the war had reached a stage in which a negotiated cessation of hostilities became possible.

Russian mediation, regional parliamentary diplomacy, and direct contacts among the parties helped produce an agreement.

On May 5, 1994, representatives participating in negotiations in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, endorsed a protocol calling for a ceasefire.

The process involved representatives of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Subsequent communications and military arrangements established the ceasefire, which took effect on May 12, 1994.

What the ceasefire accomplished

The agreement ended the principal phase of large-scale military operations.

It reduced the immediate loss of life and established a line of contact between opposing forces.

It also allowed the parties to begin rebuilding military and civilian institutions after years of intense warfare.

What the ceasefire did not accomplish

The ceasefire did not constitute a comprehensive peace treaty.

It did not settle Nagorno-Karabakh's political status.

It did not establish a mutually accepted final border.

It did not provide a comprehensive solution for displaced populations.

It did not create an internationally agreed mechanism for the return of all refugees and internally displaced persons.

Nor did it resolve the questions of security guarantees, demilitarization, accountability, or long-term political coexistence.

The result was a prolonged unresolved conflict rather than a permanent peace.