NATO PA welcomes Karabakh ceasefire agreement

NATO PA President Attila Mesterhazy welcomed the Russia-backed ceasefire agreement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict area agreed by Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"The announced end of hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict area is welcome news. The intense fighting of the last weeks has taken a heavy toll on local populations, leading to many innocent lives lost, homes destroyed, lasting damage and human suffering," the statement posted on the organization's website reads.

"As I have said from the beginning of this latest crisis, peace can only be achieved through diplomacy. The time has come for de-escalation and responsible behaviour and rhetoric, and I call on my Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentary colleagues to play their part," he stressed.

"Ultimately, the region needs a long-term solution under the auspices of the Minsk Group to finally bring lasting peace and stability for all its people," the NATO PA President concluded.