OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Elina Valtonen told the press that "the end of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia is a highly successful example that fosters optimism throughout the entire OSCE region," on Thursday (4 December).
Elina Valtonen reminded that she’s had the opportunity to visit both countries and familiarize myself with the peace process. "We always maintain productive relations with both countries," she stated.
Chairperson-in-Office Valtonen reiterated OSCE’s readiness to provide any support regarding the issues currently being discussed between the parties.
Closure of OSCE Minsk Group
Valtonen also noted that the decision to close the OSCE Minsk Group and its associated structures on 1 September, 2025 was a vital step supporting the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Moreover, she noted that it removed a major obstacle in approving the OSCE budget.
The statement was made at the 32nd Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council on Thursday (4 December) in Vienna, Austria.
The Minsk Group was created in 1992 to mediate the Karabakh conflict, and from 1994 operated under a co-chairmanship of Russia, the United States and France.
It served for decades as the main platform for Armenia–Azerbaijan negotiations but lost relevance after Azerbaijan’s 2020 victory and the restoration of its territorial integrity in September 2023, according to Azerbaijani media.
Baku repeatedly called for its formal closure, and on 8 August, 2025, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a joint appeal in Washington calling for the termination of the Minsk Group.
The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Wednesday (25 February) on more than 30 individuals, entities and "shadow fleet" vessels it said ena...
Georgia is facing intensifying diplomatic pressure as Western partners urge stronger alignment against Russia, while leaders in Tbilisi warn that furt...
Thousands of dead grebes have been found along Azerbaijan’s Caspian coastline, prompting authorities to expand inspections as early laboratory tests...
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem says it will provide on-site passport and consular services to settlers based in the West Bank on Friday 27 February. Th...
U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest State of the Union address set out a second-term agenda built on economic protectionism, military strength and ...
The 32nd Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial meeting in Vienna exposed a sharp divergence between governance priorities in Brussels and Tbilisi.
Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili is participating in the 32nd OSCE Ministerial Council holding from 3rd to 5th December in Vienna.
The OSCE has formally wound up the Minsk Process, shutting down its mediation structures after a joint appeal from Armenia and Azerbaijan and a consensus decision by all 57 participating states.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Elina Valtonen, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland.
The Taliban in Kabul has rejected Russian claims that more than 23,000 militants from around 20 international terror groups are currently operating within Afghanistan.
Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the war is no longer defined by shock but by scale.
Seven people were killed after gunmen ambushed a police patrol in Kohat, a district in Pakistan’s north-west near the Afghan border, on Tuesday, in an attack that comes amid rising militant violence and heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Four members of Syria’s Internal Security Forces were killed and two others injured on Monday (23 February) in an attack by the ISIS (Daesh) terrorist group targeting a checkpoint west of Raqqa in northeastern Syria, the Interior Ministry said.
Four years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war can be measured not only in lives and territory, but in money. In Part One, the war’s cost was measured in casualties and kilometres. In Part Two, it is measured in billions of dollars.
Georgia is facing intensifying diplomatic pressure as Western partners urge stronger alignment against Russia, while leaders in Tbilisi warn that further steps could endanger national stability and sovereignty.
Thousands of dead grebes have been found along Azerbaijan’s Caspian coastline, prompting authorities to expand inspections as early laboratory tests show no signs of infectious disease.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday (25 February) for a two-day visit during which he will meet with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, and address the Knesset.
A Su-30SM fighter jet crashed during a scheduled training flight in Kazakhstan’s Karaganda region on 25 February, with both pilots ejecting safely, the defence ministry said.
A group of sick and injured Palestinians and their caregivers left Gaza through the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday (25 February) for medical treatment abroad, as limited evacuations continue under tight restrictions.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment