Violence in the separatist area of Nagorna-Karabakh has been the worst since a war ended in 1994, with Azerbaijan and Armenia blaming each other for the flouting of a ceasefire.
Picture: Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Vatican announced today the pontiff will visit Armenia on June 24-26, before traveling to Georgia and Azerbaijan from September 30 until October 2.
Picture: Tbilisi, Georgia.
Francis has been trying to bolster relations between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church and the trips are partly down to invitations from Orthodox church leaders.
Picture: Yerevan, Armenia.
The pontiff prompted upset in Turkey last year by labelled the Ottoman-era slaughter of Armenians genocide, the Turkish government denied.
It insisted those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.