BAKU, September 25. /TASS/. Azerbaijan’s State Security Service has called on Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh urging them to refrain from illegal actions and hand over their arms and ammunition as soon as possible.

"The State Security Service appeals to the population of the Karabakh region and urges to refrain from actions that threaten the overall development of the regions included in the Karabakh economic region of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the well-being of the Armenian population, their peaceful reintegration into the Azerbaijani society, the resolution of social and humanitarian issues, the protection of the rule of law, stability and public security, as well as [to refrain] from destruction of properties, documents, and similar illegal actions, and to surrender their weapons as soon as possible," the agency said in a statement on its website.

The statement stresses that the Azerbaijani government guarantees the "full protection of the rights and freedoms of persons of Armenian nationality who have handed over weapons and comply with the requirements of the relevant legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan."

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.