External forces should refrain from words or actions that may escalate the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said here on Saturday.

Many "forces are closely looking into the consequences" of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for the situation in the Middle East and Russia, Medvedev said during an interview with Rossiya TV channel.

"All conflicts at a given time may in one way or another be a factor in political decision," the prime minister said, adding that "I do not rule out that there are factors that are influencing the conflict from abroad."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statement on supporting Azerbaijan against the independence claim of the Nagorno-Karabakh region is a cause of concern, Medvedev said.

The Turkish president on Wednesday also accused Russia of siding with Armenia in the conflict.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a mountainous enclave with a large ethnic Armenian population, that lies inside the territory of Azerbaijan.

This region has been the subject of a long-lasting dispute between the two neighboring countries as the first conflict broke out in 1988 when the region claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

Sudden violence flared up overnight on April 2 with the two countries' defense ministries blaming each other for triggering the escalation.

The clashes lasted several days and left more than 70 soldiers and civilians dead before a cease-fire was reached in Moscow on Tuesday.

Medvedev said the cease-fire has been largely observed despite scattered shootings and that the current priority is to avoid further escalation and bloodshed.

Source; XINHUA