OSCE Council of Ministers approves closure of Minsk process

On September 1, 2025, the OSCE Ministerial Council adopted a decision to close the OSCE Minsk Process and its related structures, Azernews reports via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.

According to the decision, and in line with the joint appeal of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, addressed to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office during the Washington meeting on August 8, 2025—held at the invitation and with the participation of US President Donald Trump—the activities of the OSCE Minsk Process, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on the conflict addressed by the Minsk Conference, and the High-Level Planning Group were formally terminated as of September 1.

The OSCE Secretariat was tasked with resolving all organizational and technical matters related to the closure of these structures by no later than December 1, 2025. The resolution also declared all previous OSCE decisions regarding the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict null and void.

By this decision, the institutions originally created to mediate the conflict were recognized by all OSCE participating States as unnecessary in light of the new circumstances following the resolution of the conflict. Their formal closure reflects a shift in the regional landscape.

The adoption of the resolution underscores Azerbaijan’s restoration of sovereign control and territorial integrity over its previously occupied territories, marking an end to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. It also reflects international recognition of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda and represents a key step toward the practical implementation of the agreements reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia during the Washington meeting on August 8, 2025.

Azerbaijan reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a principled and consistent position based on international law, aiming to strengthen peace and stability in the region.