All OSCE Minsk Group Structures Are Subject to Dissolution: Zakharova
On December 25, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced that all OSCE Minsk Group structures, including the Minsk Group itself and the position of the OSCE Personal Representative for the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, are subject to dissolution. Zakharova emphasized that the mandate of the Minsk Group co-chairs has lost its relevance, as Armenia recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan during the summit held in Prague on October 6, 2022.
The Russian MFA representative noted that France and the United States ceased communication with their Russian counterparts in February 2022, which was a result of Western countries obstructing the work of the Minsk Group. Zakharova expressed confidence that the joint proposal by Baku and Yerevan to dissolve the Minsk Group structures is the best option.
As early as June 2024, Aliyev had stated that Armenia, together with Azerbaijan, should appeal to the OSCE to dissolve the Minsk Group. Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Security Issues Armen Khachatryan, National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan, and several other officials had declared that discussions about dissolving the Minsk Group could only occur after the signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The OSCE Minsk Group operated from 1997 to 2020. The three co-chair countries were the United States, France, and Russia. Although several solutions were proposed regarding Artsakh, none of them were implemented.