The ceasefire agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be the first step towards a long ceasefire in Karabakh. This was announced to RIA Novosti by the former US special envoy for conflict resolution in Eurasia, Carey Cavanaugh.

He called the ceasefire announced by the parties “a very encouraging step.” “The next step is a broader discussion of how to maintain a real, more permanent ceasefire,” added Cavanaugh.

He expressed the hope that more lively negotiations would begin in Moscow next week, and over time it would be possible to focus the discussion not only on a ceasefire, but also on resolving the conflict. “It won't come quickly. It is very difficult to create a compromise solution after such intense hostilities, ”he concluded.

Yerevan and Baku agreed on a truce and agreed to begin an exchange of prisoners and killed after the ceasefire came into force – 12:00 on October 10. The specific parameters of the ceasefire regime will be agreed upon additionally.

The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) escalated sharply on September 27. Azerbaijan reported that Armenian forces fired at its positions and settlements on the contact line and announced a counteroffensive. Armenia, in turn, blamed the Azerbaijani military for the attack on Artsakh.