Turkey Appoints First-Ever Ethnic Armenian Official

Thе news will not end the near-century of Turkish-Armenian enmity. Nor will it give Turkey an invite into the European club. But it is not bad at all for an ice-breaker.

In an unprecedented move, a scholar of ethnic Armenian origin has assumed a post in Turkey's Secretariat for European Union Affairs. Ankara’s point man for European integration, State Minister Egemen Bagish, was reported to say that the Turkish government now welcomes non-Muslim minorities, local press reported.

The international media reaction from Armenia has been relatively muted, but the decision appears to fall into a pattern of recent overtures by the Turkish government to both Armenian and other ethnic minorities.