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Russian, Turkish top diplomats stress need to honor Moscow statement on Nagorno-Karabakh

The two foreign ministers emphasized the need to "fully comply with all provisions of a joint statement of the foreign ministers of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia on October 10

MOSCOW, October 11. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in a phone conversation on Sunday highlighted the need to fully comply with all provisions of a joint statement issued by the Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian top diplomats on October 10, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"During the conversation the sides exchanged views on the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone developing after the trilateral talks in Moscow on October 9-10," the ministry stated.

The two foreign ministers emphasized the need to "fully comply with all provisions of a joint statement of the foreign ministers of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia on October 10."

Besides, during the phone conversation held at Turkey’s initiative, Lavrov confirmed Moscow’s readiness to continue active mediation efforts aimed at achieving the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement "in accordance with the provisions of the Moscow statement."

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 October 10 for humanitarian reasons in order to exchange detainees and the bodies of those killed in the fighting. Shortly 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.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them. Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group, led by its three co-chairs - Russia, France and the United States.