BAKU, September 21. /TASS/. A meeting between the representatives of Azerbaijan and Karabakh Armenians has kicked off in the Azerbaijani town of Yevlakh, the AzerTac news agency reported.

According to it, Azerbaijan is represented by Ramin Mammadov, who is the main contact for the Armenian residents of the Karabakh region, Bashir Hajiyev, deputy special representative of the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the liberated territories of the Karabakh economic region (except the Shusha District) and Ilkin Sultanov from the Special Representative Office.

The Armenian residents of Nagorno-Karabakh are represented by Sergey Martirosyan and Davit Melkumyan, according to the news agency. A representative of the Russian peacekeeping contingent is also attending the meeting.

On Wednesday, Azerbaijan’s presidential administration said that at the talks, the issues of reintegrating the Armenian population will be discussed. In turn, in his address to the nation, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stressed that at the meeting, the Armenian contingent will be informed of the "vision of future co-existence." "All their rights will be ensured - the right to education, cultural rights, religious rights, rights to municipal elections," he emphasized.

On September 19, tensions flared up again in Nagorno-Karabakh. Baku announced it was launching what it described as "local anti-terrorist measures" and demanded the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the region. Yerevan, in turn, said there were no Armenian forces in Karabakh, calling what was happening "an act of large-scale aggression."

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on the parties to the conflict to stop the bloodshed, end hostilities, prevent civilian casualties, and go back to trying to settle the Karabakh issue diplomatically. On September 20, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that an agreement was reached with the participation of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to suspend anti-terrorist measures in Karabakh starting from 12:00 p.m. Moscow time. According to the conditions for halting the operation, the Armenian armed formations deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh and the illegal Armenian volunteer formations must lay down their arms, leave their combat positions and military posts and completely disarm. The Armenian military units must withdraw from Azerbaijani territory, and illegal Armenian volunteer formations must disband. In addition, all weapons and heavy equipment are to be surrendered. The implementation of all these processes will be ensured in coordination with the Russian peacekeeping contingent.