Russia deeply concerned with Azerbaijan-Armenia border conflict, urging de-escalation

Russia expressed grave concern on Saturday over the recent military conflict along the Azerbaijan-Armenia border, calling on all parties involved to stop fighting and exercise restrains.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday held talks with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, said Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry.

She said that Russia would maintain constant contact with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also held emergency phone talks with his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts, according to the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged both conflicting parties to cease fire immediately and exercise restraint.

Heavy fighting broke out on Saturday between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Azerbaijan claimed that 12 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed and a helicopter downed by the Armenian forces.

Each side blamed the other for the escalation, the worst since 1994.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a bitter dispute over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh seized by Armenia-backed forces from Azerbaijan in 1991. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a cease-fire agreement was reached.

Small clashes have been reported recently between the two ex-Soviet republics along their border and across Karabakh's volatile front line.

Source: XINHUA