ARF: Armenia`s consent to dissolution of  OSCE MG under threat of  force  is considered invalid under international law

ArmInfo.Armenia's consent to the "joint statement" on the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group under the conditions of the use of force and the threat of force is considered invalid under international law, as noted in  a statement issued by the Central Office of "Hay Dat" of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation "Dashnaktsutyun" (ARF) in response to the official statement of the OSCE on the closing of the Minsk Group - the only international structure mandated to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. 

The ARF statement reads as follows: " Today, the OSCE Ministerial  Council adopted a "silent procedure" decision to dissolve the OSCE  Minsk Group structures and suspend their funding. This decision  follows a joint statement by the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and  Azerbaijan dated August 8, 2025, which was circulated on August 11.   This "joint application" was not an expression of free will. It was  one of the preconditions imposed by Azerbaijan for signing the  so-called "Peace Treaty," which was finalized in March 2025 and  published on August 11, but has not yet been signed due to  Azerbaijan's ever-increasing demands, including forcing Armenia to  change its Constitution. Armenia agreed to this "joint application"  under the conditions of the use of force and the threat of force,  which makes it invalid under international law.

The Armenian government's policy of constant concessions to  Azerbaijan, driven by a desire to maintain power, does not serve the  interests of the Armenian state and the national interest and  seriously undermines the right of the people of Artsakh to  self-determination. Upon coming to power in 2021, this government  promised a different path, presenting a program to the National  Assembly that was the exact opposite of what is currently being  implemented.  By adopting the Azerbaijan-Armenia "joint application,"  the OSCE legitimizes the use of force as a means of resolving  disputes. This comes after Azerbaijan carried out ethnic cleansing in  Artsakh in September- October 2023, expelling 120,000 Armenians from  their homeland through blockade, siege, and armed attacks against the  civilian population. These actions, which are widely documented and  established, constitute crimes under international law.

The issue that served as the basis for the establishment of the OSCE  Minsk Group in 1992 - the rights and security of the Armenians of  Artsakh - remains unresolved to this day. Azerbaijan's wars of 2020  and 2023 and ongoing genocidal steps forced more than 150,000  Armenians to flee their homes, but did not eliminate the problem. On  the contrary, the people of Artsakh continue to be deprived of their  most basic rights.  It would be a serious mistake for the OSCE and  the international community not to address these issues.  Lasting  peace requires principles: international law, justice, and diplomacy,  not coercion. A key component of this is the right of safe and  dignified return of Armenians forcibly displaced from  Nagorno-Karabakh, as upheld by the International Court of Justice in  its November 17, 2023, judgment. 

Equally urgent is the immediate release of Armenian prisoners held by  Azerbaijan and the protection of cultural heritage.  Although the  OSCE Minsk Group is no longer operational, the principles it embodied  - genuine multilateralism and international mediation - remain  indispensable. Its rejection now sends a dangerous message that  disputes are resolved not by law but by force. Such a precedent will  only fuel new episodes of violence and undermine the foundations of  peace and security.  "Closing the page of hostility," as proclaimed  in the Washington Declaration of August 8, cannot be achieved through  enforced silence. It requires truth, justice, and reconciliation.  Victims must be heard, suffering must be acknowledged, and justice  must be served.  Therefore, we call on the OSCE and the wider  international community to continue their engagement, remain  committed to human rights and their humanitarian missions, and take  effective steps to protect the rights of forcibly displaced  Armenians, release prisoners, and preserve cultural heritage. Only  through consistent, impartial, and principled engagement can the  rights and dignity of the people of Artsakh be ensured and real and  lasting peace in the South Caucasus be made possible."