Fighting in Nagorno Karabakh: Moscow calls for a "strict" application of the truce

Armenian separatists from Nagorno-Karabakh and the Azerbaijani army still clashed on Monday, October 12, in violation of a humanitarian truce negotiated under the aegis of Russia, which called on the belligerents to finally respect

the ceasefire

"

".

To read also: Nagorno-Karabakh: in the basements of Stepanakert, the fragile hope of a ceasefire

The Armenian foreign minister was in Moscow on Monday for a meeting with the historic mediator of the conflict, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by Russia, France and the United States.

His Azerbaijani counterpart participated in a similar meeting last week in Geneva (Switzerland).

The head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, receiving his Armenian counterpart, called for the truce supposed to be in force since midday Saturday to be "

".

Despite the continuation of the fighting, he nevertheless considered that the "

" and called for the creation of a mechanism to verify compliance with the ceasefire, while separatists and Azerbaijanis reject the responsibility of hostilities.

"

" are underway on this subject, according to the Armenian minister, in particular with the Red Cross.

Read also: Ankara in Moscow: the separatists must withdraw from Nagorno Karabakh

The two camps have also so far failed to carry out the exchanges of prisoners and bodies provided for in the truce agreement.

Despite the failure of nearly three decades of mediation, the Russian, American and French diplomats in charge of the matter want to convince Armenians and Azerbaijanis to return to negotiations on the status of Nagorno Karabakh, and to put an end to the ongoing fighting, the deadliest since 1994.

France condemned the continuation of violence, considering it "

" that the truce be "

" respected.

Turkey, Baku's major backer, has urged Moscow to convince Armenia to withdraw its troops from Nagorno Karabakh, which has been disputed for decades.