Russia's State Duma urges to contribute to Karabakh settlement

Members of the Russian State Duma adopted a statement on the escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at the plenary meeting on Tuesday, according to the statement posted on the State Duma's website.

"MPs of the State Duma of the Russian Federal Assembly express serious concern over the renewal of the deterioration of the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region that has led to numerous human casualties and strongly condemn use of force by both sides," the document says.

The MPs also stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict zone. They also called on parties to the conflict to prevent the escalation of confrontation in the region and noted that there would be no alternative to a peaceful settlement of the situation.

"The deputies of the State Duma urge the parties to return to the negotiation process as soon as possible and are ready to offer mediation assistance in stabilizing the situation," the document says.

The statement will be sent to the President of the Russian Federation, the Government, the parliaments of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the CSTO PA, the IPA CIS, PACE and the OSCE PA.

The Armenian armed forces committed a large-scale provocation, subjecting the positions of the Azerbaijani army to intensive shelling from large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibers in the front-line zone on Sept. 27 at 05:00 (Msk). The command of the Azerbaijani Army decided to launch a counter-offensive operation of Azerbaijani troops along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population. Seven villages of Fizuli and Jabrayil districts, key heights near Talysh, as well as Murovdag were liberated.