Reuters
Aug 2 2014

Russia voices concern over violence in Nagorno-Karabakh

MOSCOW Sat Aug 2, 2014 8:20pm IST

(Reuters) – Russia expressed concern on Saturday over a flare-up of
violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway enclave of Azerbaijan with a
majority Armenian population, and said any escalation would be
unacceptable.

At least 10 people were killed in skirmishes this week between Azeri
government forces and ethnic Armenians controlling Nagorno-Karabakh,
officials from the two sides said on Friday.

“We see the events of recent days as a serious violation of agreements
on a ceasefire and declared intentions to achieve a regulation (of the
conflict) through political means,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said
in a statement.

“We take the position that any further escalation is unacceptable,” it said.

Fighting between ethnic Azeris and Armenians erupted in 1991 and a
ceasefire was called in 1994. But Azerbaijan and Armenia have
regularly traded accusations of further violence around
Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Azeri-Armenian border.

(Reporting by Alexander Winning, Editing by Timothy Heritage)