Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held separate meetings with Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, according to a Russian Foreign Ministry statement.

“As a follow-up to recent telephone contacts between President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the Republic of Azerbaijan I. G. Aliyev and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia N. V. Pashinyan, Russian foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had separate meetings with Azerbaijani foreign Minister D. A. Bayramov and Armenian foreign Minister Z. G. Mnatsakanyan in Moscow on October 20 and 21, the statement said.

“During the talks, urgent issues related to the implementation of previously reached agreements on a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone and the creation of conditions for its sustainable settlement were discussed,” the statement added.

Heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces erupted in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region on September 27.

Azerbaijani and Armenian sides agreed to start substantive talks over Nagorno-Karabakh under the auspices of Russia Federation.  

A fragile humanitarian ceasefire brokered by Russia, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, and agreed to by both Armenia and Azerbaijan, formally came into effect on 10 October.

The ceasefire has been repeatedly violated, halting a planned return of the dead and exchange of wounded and prisoners.

Total casualties on both sides may be approaching the low thousands, and due to Russian-Turkish geopolitical dynamics and pipeline politics there are concerns regarding a wider regional conflict. (ILKHA)