Moscow Considers Karabakh Ceasefire Deal to be Crucial

Moscow insists on the full ceasefire observance in the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) in order to prevent the escalation of 1994 and 1995 conflicts, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.

YEREVAN (Sputnik) — Moscow urges the full observance of the ceasefire deal in the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) and prevention of 1994 and 1995 agreements' violations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.

Azerbaijan and the breakaway NKR agreed to a ceasefire on April 5, following days of clashes that led to numerous casualties on both sides.

"It is essential to strictly observe the ceasefire agreements and to prevent new violations of the 1994 and 1995 deals, which have secured and strengthened regime of the indefinite ceasefire," Lavrov said opening the talks with his Armenian counterpart in Yerevan.

Lavrov added that Russia would do everything in its power to promote political settlement of the conflict.

The violence in the region escalated on April 2. Baku and Yerevan have accused each other of provoking hostilities.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in 1988, when the autonomous region sought to secede from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. The region proclaimed independence when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.