Russian President Vladimir Putin invited the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan to visit Moscow for peace talks Friday and said fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh should be halted for humanitarian reasons.
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.
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.
