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BBC presents an article about presidential elections in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Populated mainly by ethnic Armenians, the territory declared independence from Azerbaijan after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Azerbaijan has described the poll as a "provocation", and there are fears of a return to full-scale conflict,” says the article.

"We have every reason to say to the world that we hold elections strictly in accordance with the law," Vasily Atajanian, Nagorno-Karabakh's acting foreign minister told the Reuters news agency. "We can say that there is no difference between us and democratic Europe," Mr Atajanian added.

According to BBC, “however, EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton expressed concern over the poll.”

"I would like to reiterate that the European Union does not recognise the constitutional and legal framework in which [the vote] will be held," Baroness Ashton said in a statement.

“A ceasefire was agreed between the two sides in 1994, but in recent months tension has been rising.

Any return to a full-blown conflict would therefore have even more devastating consequences this time round, particularly if regional allies such as Russia or Turkey were dragged into the dispute,” BBC’s correspondent adds.