PARIS, September 19. /TASS/. France has requested holding an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"France is demanding to hold an emergency session of the UN Security Council. It is holding consultations with its European partners and the US to obtain a response, corresponding to security risks in the region triggered by Azerbaijan’s unacceptable offensive," the ministry said.

The foreign policy agency also urged Baku to immediately cease military action and observe international law.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that it had launched an anti-terrorist operation in Nagorno-Karabakh "to restore constitutional order." Baku pledged that neither civilians nor civilian infrastructure facilities would be targeted, with the operation being geared against "only legitimate military targets."

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia is keeping in communication on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, including with the Azerbaijani side; the Foreign Ministry will make a statement on what comes out of this communication. She pointed out that Moscow is deeply concerned about the sharp escalation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and calls on the parties to the conflict to stop the bloodshed and try to settle things diplomatically.