Russia said Friday that Armenia and Azerbaijan had agreed to meet in Moscow for negotiations on ending the fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, after President Vladimir Putin called for talks.
“Baku and Yerevan have confirmed their participation in the consultations in Moscow,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told AFP.
“Active preparations are under way,” she said, with the talks expected to take place later on Friday and involve the two countries’ foreign ministers.
Putin’s invitation came as there appeared to be no end in sight for nearly two weeks of fighting between Azerbaijan and ethic Armenian separatists that has claimed hundreds of lives.
“The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are being invited to Moscow on October 9,” Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin.
“The President of Russia is issuing a call to halt the fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh on humanitarian grounds in order to exchange dead bodies and prisoners,” the Kremlin added.
Yerevan has so far ruled out any talks between the two countries’ top diplomats as long as clashes are ongoing.
Earlier talks were held in Geneva but expectations were low and no statements were likely from the negotiations which were being conducted behind closed doors—and without Armenian participation.❐
