EU's Mogherini says to meet Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders in Vienna on Monday

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini speaks during the seventh U.S.–E.U. Energy Security Council in Washington, U.S., May 4, 2016.

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-armenia-azerbaijan-meeting-idUSKCN0Y71EB

The European Union's foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday she would be meeting the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan later on Monday for talks in Vienna.Relations between the two countries are at a multi-year low after a flare-up in fighting between Armenian-backed separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azeri forces last month killed dozens.
Mogherini, who announced the meeting on social media, did not say whether she would meet the presidents together or separately.
(Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Dmitry Solovyov)

Azerbaijan announces military exercises ahead of Nagorno-Karabakh talks

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-azerbaijan-karabakh-exercises-idUSKCN0Y60GG
Azerbaijan on Sunday announced joint military exercises with Georgia and Turkey, plans which are likely to raise tensions with neighboring Armenia a day before talks in Vienna over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The territory, which lies inside Azerbaijan but is controlled by ethnic Armenians, has run its own affairs with heavy military and financial backing from Armenia since a separatist war ended in 1994.
A ceasefire agreed on April 5 after an outbreak of fighting has been violated every day, say locals.
"To increase the combat capabilities and combat readiness of the Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia, we deemed it worthwhile to carry out joint military exercises," Azeri Defense Minister Zakir Gasanov said on Sunday.