Turkey mulls ‘bold steps’ of Armenia to begin ‘new era’

Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoğlu says that the relations between Ankara and Yerevan might enter into a ‘new era’ if Armenian diaspora decides to take ‘bold steps’ similar to one Ankara has taken Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has stated that Turkey believes Armenia and the Armenian diaspora will choose to take “bold steps” like the one Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan took in April, adding that if this happens Turkish-Armenian relations will enter a “new era.”

Erdoğan issued Turkey’s first-ever statement offering condolences to the descendants of slain Ottoman Armenians in April, just a day before the traditional 99th anniversary of the mass killings at the hands of the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The statement highlighted the “shared pain” endured during the 1915 events and expressed condolences on behalf of the Turkish state to the grandchildren of Armenians who lost their lives “in the context of the early 20th century.”

In an article published in the spring edition of the Turkish Policy Quarterly journal, Davutoğlu wrote that Erdoğan’s statement should be the foundation for further steps. “Erdoğan’s message of condolence should not be seen as a conjunctural step. It should be seen as a prelude for transformation of minds and memories because this is not only an offer of condolence but also a sincere invitation to all parties to ensure a common future based on lasting peace,” he wrote.

“A new and more grounded era of peace will reign between Turkey and Armenia if intellectuals and politicians do their part to overcome the psychological barriers on both sides and to build a ‘just...