The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore has expressed concern about the escalation of the violent dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Mr Gilmore is visiting the region as chair of the organisation for security and cooperation in Europe.
He warned that the conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh risked a wider war in the South Caucasus.
It is his last leg of his 4-day tour.
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as being part of Azerbaijan, however the ethnic Armenian population has had effective independence since the 1990s.
Earlier this month there were fatal clashes between Azeri and Armenian forces over Nagorno-Karabakh which raised fears that the conflict could re-erupt and spread across the wider region.
On Monday, Mr Gilmore was in Armenia to talk with officials about how the situation could be calmed. Today he is in Azerbaijan to take soundings from the government in Baku.
This long-running conflict is being watched closely by the international community and will remain a priority for Mr Gilmore for the duration of his chairmanship of the OSCE for 2012.
