The OSCE Minsk Group contributed to reducing the role of Nagorno-Karabakh in the Karabakh peace process, former NKR Foreign Minister Arman Melkiyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am, commenting on the Minsk Group’s activities.

According to Melikyan, to a large extent the OSCE activities may be divided into two stages. The first phase includes the period of military hostilities in 1992-1994. It marked Karabakh’s active participation in the negotiation process, both within the framework of Minsk Group and in Nagorno-Karabakh-Azerbaijan bilateral format. “Subsequently, Karabakh’s role was artificially reduced and the OSCE Minsk group contributed significantly to this process,” he noted.

According to Melikyan, the second phase has started since 1994, when Nagorno-Karabakh was ousted from the negotiation process and its role was reduced as a party to the conflict and self-determined entity. “The Minsk Group’s further efforts resulted in presenting the conflict as a result of territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, Armenia has greatly contributed to development of this strategy in the Karabakh conflict settlement since 1994,” Melikyan noted.

On March 24, 1992 Minsk hosted international conference on Nagorno-Karabakh.