Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s announcement came while speaking with a group of journalists late on Friday on board a plane en route from Plovdiv to Turkey as he wrapped up an official visit to Bulgaria. Turkey has also offered to establish similar mechanisms with Greece and Russia.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Bulgarian media, Davutoğlu once more disputed suggestions that he is a promoter of “Neo-Ottomanism.” “As you probably know, the foreign policy of Turkey is based on the principle of ‘zero problems’ with its neighbors. To a great extent this policy of regional cooperation, peace and prosperity is pursued on the Balkan Peninsula and has been very fruitful, particularly when it comes to Bulgaria. Of course, the shared cultural values and common historical interests of the two countries are a catalyst in this process. The alliance of civilizations is another initiative of Turkey aimed at securing peace and wellbeing in the world. In accordance with the key principle of ‘Peace in the Motherland, peace in the world’ formulated by the great Turkish leader [Mustafa] Kemal Atatürk, the initiatives I mentioned are not aimed at achieving superiority either in the region or in the world. Our objectives are peace, cooperation and prosperity for all countries,” he said.
Days after this visit, the Bulgarian parliament is expected to vote on a resolution recognizing the World War I-era killings of Anatolian Armenians as genocide, news reports said, noting that the vote was likely to take place this week.
