UK Minister for Europe David Lidington is appalled and highly concerned by the upsurge in fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone and by the resulting” loss of life.

“It is essential that the sides act urgently to halt the fighting and exercise restraint subsequently. I call upon both Armenia and Azerbaijan to engage constructively and intensively in the search for a negotiated peaceful settlement through the Minsk Group process,” he said in a statement.