Foundation of the Minsk Group mediation process, a joint effort by the U.S., Russia and France, amidst total war with Armenia and NKR on one side and Azerbaijan on the other. The chapter traces the all-out war between 1992 and 1994, the Bishkek ceasefire, and the origins of the CSCE/OSCE involvement in the mediation effort, its mandate, and its initial proposals of internal self-determination, offering autonomy for NKR within Azerbaijan at the 1996 OSCE Lisbon Summit. The war was characterized by brutal violence, forced displacements, and atrocities against non-combatants, such as the Khojaly and Maragha massacres. Armenian forces gained significant control over surrounding Azerbaijani territories, creating a security buffer zone and the crucial Lachin Humanitarian Corridor. The UN Security Council intervened with four resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of forces. The conflict was finally halted by a Russian-brokered ceasefire signed in Bishkek in May 1994, which, despite being fragile, proved durable. The ceasefire established Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno-Karabakh as parties to the conflict and set the stage for future negotiations focused on territorial concessions and a guaranteed status for Nagorno-Karabakh.