The OSCE Minsk Process and the Search for Peace

HYEDRAM Artsakh archival collection photograph; date and subject not verified — HYEDRAM archival photograph — subject and date unverified

In 1992, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, later renamed the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), established a diplomatic framework for resolving the conflict.

The process became known as the Minsk Process.

Although a proposed international conference in Minsk did not take place as originally envisioned, the diplomatic framework continued.

From 1997, France, Russia, and the United States served as the three co-chairs of the Minsk Group.

Principal issues in negotiations

The negotiations addressed several interconnected questions:

The final political status of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The withdrawal of Armenian forces from surrounding Azerbaijani districts.
Security guarantees for the Armenian population.
A secure connection between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
The return of refugees and internally displaced persons.
International monitoring and possible peacekeeping arrangements.
The restoration of transportation and economic links.

The parties disagreed over the order in which these issues should be resolved.

Azerbaijan generally emphasized the restoration of territorial control before a final settlement of status.

Armenian leaders emphasized enforceable security guarantees and self-determination before relinquishing strategically important positions.

These disagreements repeatedly obstructed negotiations.

The Minsk Process continued for decades without producing a comprehensive settlement. The OSCE formally closed the Minsk Process and related structures in 2025.

OSCE