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Topic 1: Resolving the Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, a de facto independent state, currently governs the landlocked region of Nagorno-Karabakh between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur in the South Caucasus. The United Nations recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan over this territory, although Azerbaijan has not exercised power over the region since 1991, when Armenia and Azerbaijan attained independence from the Soviet Union. After their independence, full-scale war erupted between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the region and both sides experienced heavy casualties and an influx of refugees. A ceasefire was declared on 12 May 1994 when the Azerbaijani government recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as a third party in the war and started direct negotiations with them for the first time since their independence from the Soviet Union. By this time, the Armenians had occupied and were in control of over 14% of the territory of Azerbaijan, including the districts of Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli and Zangilan. The Security Council, in Resolutions 822, 853, 874, and 884, condemned the occupation and seizure of these districts and called for a unilateral withdrawal of forces and immediate cessation of all armed hostilities. Since then, the ceasefire has been increasingly fragile, with a steady increase in frequency and intensity of armed conflict between Armenian and Azerbaijaini forces.

The Minsk Group was created in 1992 by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) specifically to address the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It functions to facilitate peaceful negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed territory. The group aims to achieve a lasting comprehensive political settlement of the conflict by ensuring a cessation of the armed conflict, deploying an OSCE peace-keeping operation, developing and implementing confidence-building and humanitarian measures, and facilitating cooperation among UN and other international organization operating in the area. While the headquarters are located in Tbilisi, there are field assistants present in Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert/Khankendi to conduct the operational activities. The Group is headed by Co-chairmanship consisting of France, the Russian Federation and the United States. Permanent members include Belarus, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Turkey with Armenia and Azerbaijan participating on a rotating basis. No specific duration for the mandate has been set; therefore the Minsk Group shall continue to function until its objectives are met and the conflict is resolved. The purpose of this session will be to further the progress of the aforementioned objectives in light of the current ground situation, as it is unlikely that all of the goals will be met in this session. While the objectives are abundant in nature, the priority and consideration of each will be at the liberty of the delegates.

*Note that this committee will be a continuing crisis committee, meaning that delegates will be forced to respond to crisis situations presented by the dais throughout the simulation. For more information about this committee, please contact Director-General Chris Talamo at dg.nhsmun@imuna.org