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Gorbachev welcomes ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh

According to Gorbachev, it is necessary to negotiate to seek solutions to "this very thorny issue"

MOSCOW, October 10. /TASS/. First President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev welcomes the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh and urges the sides to continue negotiations.

"I support this [the ceasefire]. It is good that this first step has been made. It is good that Russia has helped. However, it is crucial to go beyond," Gorbachev said when asked by TASS to comment on the ceasefire deal.

According to Gorbachev, it is necessary to negotiate to seek solutions to "this very thorny issue" and "it should be gradually resolved, step by step."

At the talks, brokered by Russia and held in Moscow on October 9, Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed a ceasefire. It came into effect at 12.00 local time on Saturday, October 10 for humanitarian reasons, for the exchange of detainees and recovery of the bodies of those killed in fighting. Soon after noon the sides traded blame for violating the ceasefire agreement.

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The area experienced flare-ups of violence in the summer of 2014, in April 2016 and this past July. Azerbaijan and Armenia have imposed martial law and launched mobilization efforts. Both parties to the conflict have reported casualties, among them civilians.