The Minsk Group was in the news in the context of the affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
- Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian majority region that seceded from Azerbaijan towards the end of the Soviet Union, and the gradual liberation of Azerbaijani territory that Armenia had occupied in the 1991-94 war.
- The Minsk Group has been launched by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
- The Minsk Group, the activities of which have become known as the Minsk Process, spearheads the OSCE’s efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
- It is co-chaired by France, the Russian Federation, and the United States.
- The Minsk Group put forward in 2007 the Madrid Principles as the basis for the formulation of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
About OSCE
- The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects.
- It was founded on 1 August 1975 in Helsinki, Finland.
- It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities.
- All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.
(Source: The Hindu and OSCE)
CLICK HERE FOR UPSC PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQ
