Greek Foreign Minister’s visit to Armenia “is imminent” as Azerbaijani aggression continues

The Greek Foreign Ministry has released a statement that says a Greek diplomatic visit to the Armenian capital of Yerevan “is imminent.”

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias wrote on Twitter: “In my letter to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, I requested the extraordinary convening of its Permanent Council to escalate tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), and tomorrow I will have a new communication with the Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.”

The OSCE, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 57 countries with a focus on conflict prevention.

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, in his letter to the Albanian Presidency of the OSCE, requested the extraordinary convening of the Permanent Council of the Organization for the immediate discussion of the issue,” the statement said.

“A planned visit of Nikos Dendias to Yerevan is imminent,” the Foreign Ministry statement continued.

The statement then explained that conflict in Artsakh, or more commonly known as Nagorno-Karabakh, “has a serious impact on regional stability,” which is a view highlighted by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his recent visit to Greece.

“The Greek initiative aims to hold a debate within the OSCE with the participation of the two stakeholders and to consider every possible way to de-escalate the crisis. The goal remains the urgent resumption of negotiations within the Minsk Group on the peaceful settlement of the dispute,” the statement continued, adding that Greece is ready “to contribute to the efforts for the immediate de-escalation of the crisis.”

The Greek Foreign Ministry also highlighted that during the recent phone conversation between Dendias and Mnatsakanyan, “the close ties of friendship between Greece and Armenia were reaffirmed” and that the pair will have another conversation via video conference.

“Greece is convinced that the crisis can only be resolved by peaceful means, through negotiations and not by arms,” the statement continued.

“Greece disapproves of any third party intervention that incites tension. In this context, Turkey must refrain from actions and statements that move in this direction,” the statement concluded.

On Sunday, Azerbaijan with Turkish-backed renewed its aggression against the Armenian-majority region of Artsakh, which although is recognized as a part of Azerbaijan internationally, achieved de facto independence after a decisive victory in 1994 during their War of Independence.