Georgian PM believes Azerbaijan-Armenia territory deal is imminent

Azerbaijan and Armenia are likely to reach a deal over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and peace will resume in the region, Georgia’s Prime Minister believes.

Leader Irakli Garibashvili said Armenia and Azerbaijan were strategically "very important countries” for Georgia and it was critical to restore peace in the region.

"[We have] closely observed the situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border in recent days and believe the two sides will agree on a deal shortly and peace will resume in the region,” he said after the 2014 Ambassadorial meeting in Tbilisi today.

Clashes over the disputed Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan have continued for more than 20 years but in recent days 15 soldiers have died in the conflict.

Azerbaijan says 12 of its troops were killed in the past four days while the enclave's ethnic Armenian authorities say three of their soldiers died.

Conflict between ethnic Azeris and Armenians erupted in 1991 over the area - a mountainous enclave within Azerbaijan with a majority Armenian population - after Armenian-backed forces seized it and seven surrounding Azeri districts.

A truce was signed in 1994 after about 30,000 people had been killed. Since then, both sides have blamed each other for violating the ceasefire.

The two countries have no diplomatic relations.