Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement on the escalation of the tension in Nagorno-Karabakh

In a letter to the Albanian Chairmanship of the OSCE, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias requested a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council to discuss the issue immediately.

Furthermore, Nikos Dendias will pay a scheduled visit to Yerevan.

As the Minister of Foreign Affairs underlined during his recent meeting with US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, the escalating tension in Nagorno-Karabakh has seriously impacted regional stability.

Greece’s initiative aims at holding talks in the context of the OSCE with the participation of the two parties involved and at examining all possible means to de-escalate the crisis. The urgent resumption of negotiations, in the context of the Minsk Group, so as to reach a peaceful resolution to the dispute, remains the goal.

The abovementioned letter concerns Greece’s readiness to contribute to the efforts to de-escalate the crisis immediately. Greece’s readiness was also expressed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias to his Armenian counterpart, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, during their recent telephone conversation, during which the close ties of friendship between Greece and Armenia were reaffirmed.

There will be further communication with Minister Mnatsakanyan tomorrow via video conference.

Greece is convinced that the crisis can be resolved solely through peaceful means and through negotiations, not through arms.

Greece condemns any third-party interference that stokes tensions.

In this context, Turkey ought to abstain from actions and statements in that direction.