Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of the newly appointed Ambassador of Greece to Baku Christos Capodistrias.
After receiving the credentials of the ambassador, Aliyev said that the Southern Gas Corridor was a project of common interest connecting the two countries and contributing to the development of the entire region. He said that Greece is a transit country in delivering Azerbaijani gas to Europe.
Aliyev recalled in the meeting his participation in the inauguration ceremony of the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria, and stressed the importance of this project's contribution to Europe's energy security.
For his part, Ambassador Christos Capodistrias said he would spare no effort to develop relations between the two countries during his tenure in Azerbaijan, noting that there was great potential for expanding cooperation.
The diplomat emphasised that there were broad opportunities for cooperation particularly in science, education, culture, tourism, information and communication technologies and other areas.
During the meeting, the sides also touched upon Azerbaijan's cooperation with the European Union and NATO. It was noted that Greece supports expanding Azerbaijan's relations with both organisations.
During the conversation, the sides also touched upon the regional issues. Aliyev gave a sanitised version of events unfolding in historically and demographically-Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh, claiming that the Armenian claims about the closure of a lifeline road were utterly groundless.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to reopen Nagorno-Karabakh's land link with Armenia, warning that a blockade of the corridor could undermine peace efforts between the two countries.
Blinken spoke by telephone with Aliyev "to urge an immediate reopening of the Lachin Corridor to commercial traffic," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement on January 23.
"He underscored that the risk of a humanitarian crisis in the Lachin Corridor undermined prospects for peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan," the statement added.
Blinken last week also spoke with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and voiced "deep concern for the worsening humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh" due to the blockage of the corridor.
Yerevan has called the blockade a gross violation of the Russian-brokered agreement from November 2020 that suspended more than a month of intense fighting after Azerbaijan, with Turkish-backing, launched its invasion.
That cease-fire ushered in a deployment of about 2,000 Russian peacekeepers to the area and joint monitoring of the situation with Turkey.
Earlier on January 23, the European Union said its had agreed to establish a civilian mission to Armenia to help improve security in the border area and ease tensions with neighboring Azerbaijan.
The mission, which was requested by Armenia will "conduct routine patrolling" in border areas to "strengthen the EU's understanding of the situation on the ground," the EU said in a statement, adding that the mission had a two-year mandate.
"The EU will continue to support de-escalation efforts and is committed to work closely with both sides towards the ultimate goal of sustainable peace in the region," EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell said.
Yerevan welcomed the EU decision, with Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan saying that it "will contribute to peace, stability and security in the region."
"We will readily cooperate with the mission and support its activities," Mirzoyan said on Twitter.
We very much welcome the #EU's🇪🇺 decision to send a fully-fledged civilian mission to #Armenia🇦🇲. We will readily cooperate with the mission and support its activities.
This mission will contribute to the peace, stability and security of the region. pic.twitter.com/SEyf2WHL4Q— Ararat Mirzoyan (@AraratMirzoyan) January 23, 2023
There was no immediate reaction from Baku.
Earlier in January, Aliyev blasted the EU's plans to again monitor the border area from the Armenian side without Baku's consent. The president claimed such a move "will not improve security" and will only complicate peace talks.
120,000 Armenians in Artsakh are currently trying to survive in sub-zero temperatures without heat, food and medicines due to the blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan.
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