Russia urges parties to Karabakh conflict to avoid escalation of tensions– Kremlin

Russia hopes the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will avoid steps that may disrupt a quite fragile truce, the country's Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Peskov said that the question of the recognition of "independence of Nagorno-Karabakh" has not been discussed with Moscow by Armenia.

"We are closely watching decisions being made in this context," Peskov said. "Of course, we continue to hope that the parties to the conflict will avoid any steps that may disrupt a quite fragile truce and in general trigger the escalation of tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh."

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

/By Trend/