Editor's Diary: On the road

Published: Wednesday March 17, 2010

Munich, - For the next two weeks, The Armenian Reporter will be edited and updated on the go with its editor Emil Sanamyan - this is me writing - traveling through Turkey and then Armenia.

This is my first trip to Turkey. Even though my ancestors do not come from what many of us Armenians call Western Armenia and what is now Republic of Turkey, this country holds a special place for me as well.

As a writer on things Armenian, I think and share my thoughts about Turkey and its policies frequently. So in many ways, this trip is long overdue.

My visit is made possible by Turkey's Economic Policy Research Foundation (TEPAV), which has lately also been involved in promoting a normalization of Turkey's relations with Armenia.

In addition to me, on this trip TEPAV invited my colleague Khatchig Mouradian from The Armenian Weekly, a former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and half a dozen commentators, most of them from Washington think tanks.

We have been promised meetings with leaders of Turkey's government and opposition, other opinion makers and prominent figures both in Ankara and Istanbul.

Most specially for me, there will be an excursion to the town of Kars and nearby ruins of the medieval Armenian capital of Ani.

Although this is my first time in Turkey, it is not for The Reporter.

Vincent Lima went to Istanbul for the funeral of Hrant Dink in 2007.

Tatul Hakobyan reported from Van on Aghtamar "museum" opening in 2007; in 2008 he went to Kars and Ani to catch up with Turkish president Abdullah Gul ahead of his decision to visit Armenia and in 2009 he traveled along the rail line that could potentially connect Armenia with Turkey on his way to Bursa for the second Turkey-Armenia football game.

Before my time at The Reporter, former publisher Edward Boghosian went to Ankara for interviews with then Foreign Minister Gul and former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

I look forward to my upcoming visits and hope my reports will be of interest to you, our readers.