UPDATE - Turkish, Azerbaijani foreign ministers discuss Armenian provocations at Azerbaijani-Armenian border

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT BY TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN KALIN; ADDS DETAILS; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Zehra Nur Duz and Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov over the phone on Tuesday.

Discussions between the two focused on Armenian provocations on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, Cavusoglu said on Twitter.

“Armenia should cease its provocations and focus on peace negotiations and cooperation with Azerbaijan," said Cavusoglu.

Separately, Turkish Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin on Twitter expressed concerns over the tensions at the Azerbaijani-Armenian border.

"Clashes on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border are worrisome. Armenia should stay away from provocative attitudes as the negotiations continue," Kalin said.

Affirming Türkiye's solidarity with Azerbaijan, Kalin said "peace and stability can only be achieved on the basis of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and legitimate rights."

Earlier, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that the Armenian army carried out extensive provocations on the border in the direction of Dashkesan, Kalbajar and Lachin districts on Monday evening.

Sabotage groups of the Armenian army laid mines on land and roads between the positions of the Azerbaijani army in various directions, the ministry said, adding that as a result of measures taken by the Azerbaijani military to address the situation, intense clashes broke out between troops of the two countries.

There were casualties among military personnel from both sides, it also said.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

In 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and over 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia, and the fighting ended with a deal brokered by Russia.