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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) must be protected.

Blinken spoke by phone with Aliyev on Tuesday to underscore “the urgency of no further hostilities” and to state that there be “unconditional protections and freedom of movement for civilians,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told a press briefing.

Blinken also told Aliyev that there must be unhindered humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to the spokesman, the Azerbaijani president told Blinken that there would be no further military action and he would allow an observer mission into Nagorno-Karabakh.

“And I will say that we note, and the Secretary noted in that call, that the president, President Aliyev, has said there will be no further military action and we expect him to abide by that. He has also said that he would accept an observer mission, and we would expect him to abide by that,” Miller said.