Moscow concerned about sharp escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh, urges sides to stop bloodshed - Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. Sept 19 (Interfax) - Moscow is concerned about the escalation of tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh and urges the sides to stop the bloodshed, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"We are concerned about the sharp escalation of tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh," Zakharova said at a press briefing in Moscow on Tuesday.

"The beginning of antiterrorist measures by Baku's armed forces in the region and the response from local Armenian armed detachments have been reported," she said.

"The Russian side insistently urges the conflicting sides to stop the bloodshed, to immediately end the hostilities and to return to the track of political and diplomatic settlement," Zakharova said.

Moscow stays in contact with Azerbaijan and other sides, and the Russian Foreign Ministry will make a statement afterwards, Zakharova said.

In order to settle the situation, all sides to the conflict should fulfill their earlier obligations, "abstain from provocations and work towards calming down and settling the situation," she said.