The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which has persisted for over a century, traces its origins to the tragic events of March 31, 1918. This date marks a turning point that dealt a severe blow to the culture of coexistence in the South Caucasus, leaving deep scars in people’s memories. The suffering endured has been etched not only into the collective memory of one people but into that of the entire region.
However, history is not merely a chronology of suffering. History is also the memory of how people have managed to live together.
The Experience of Living Together Yet Apart
Turks and Armenians have lived side by side yet separately in the Caucasus and Anatolia for centuries. Cultural and religious boundaries were maintained, and social distance was preserved; nevertheless, daily life continued through mutual respect and functional relationships. This historical experience clearly demonstrates that conflict is not a natural or inevitable state of affairs between peoples.
Mental Disconnection and the Dashnak Effect
It was not the peoples themselves who disrupted this balance, but rather the ideological organizations that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In particular, the political mindset shaped by the Dashnak line has severed the Armenian identity from the idea of coexisting peacefully with its geographical surroundings, shifting it toward a trajectory centered on conflict and historical reckoning. Thus, history ceased to be a shared space of memory and became a harsh instrument of political struggle.
March 31, 1918, marks the most severe turning point in which this mindset manifested itself on the ground. This date symbolizes not only a tragedy but also the interruption of the experience of coexistence by ideological violence. The conflicts that unfolded in the following decades were nothing more than the reproduction of this mental rupture in various forms.
Postwar Reality
The events of 2020, known as the 44-Day War, have brought a new reality to light in the South Caucasus. This conflict has not only shifted the military balance but has also made it clear that peace is now an urgent necessity. It has become abundantly clear, in light of the outcomes on the ground, that a policy of conflict is unsustainable.
At this point, the key issue is not to equate the future of the Armenian people with the Dashnak mindset that has kept them in a dead end for so many years. Peace does not mean denying the past; it means not leaving the past to the monopoly of a particular ideological interpretation.
The Reality Imposed by Geography
The South Caucasus is a region that has historically developed in close connection with the Turkic world. In this region, the security, economic well-being, and political stability of states are determined not so much by ideological preferences as by the network of relationships dictated by geography. Armenia is no exception to this reality.
Armenia’s geopolitical location inevitably places it in contact with the Turkic world, making it a state that must foster balance and harmony with this cultural sphere. This is not a matter of identity; it is a necessity dictated by the state’s strategic reasoning.
“Turkic” Reality and State Rationality
In this context, the “Turkic” reality is not an imposition of identity on Armenia; it is the name given to the necessity of acting in harmony with the geography in which it is situated. Lasting peace and sustainable stability are possible only through a state philosophy that transcends the confrontational legacy of the Dashnak era and fosters balance and cooperation with its neighbors. If this mindset prevails, Armenia will have made significant progress toward becoming a “Turkic” republic—preserving its own identity while remaining in harmony with the region’s historical and civilizational realities.
The Symbolic Language of Peace
Symbols are also important here. Mount Ararat has long been a symbol of salvation in human history, as depicted in the story of Noah’s Ark. Today, this same symbol can be reinterpreted in the Caucasus not as a symbol of conflict, but as a symbol of peace and a shared future.
In this context, the award on the theme of human brotherhood jointly received by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan can be seen not only as an opportunity for peace but also as a symbol of the possibility that the two peoples might once again stand side by side.
There Is a Real Foundation for Peace
Our hope is that this step will not merely remain a gesture confined to the level of leaders, but will become a sign that opens a new chapter in the collective memory of our societies. For peace begins not with texts, but with mindsets. And if the memory of over a century of conflict in the Caucasus is to change, this can only be achieved by rebuilding mutual recognition, respect, and the will to live together.
Today, peace may still be fragile; yet, for the first time, it is a realistic possibility. Turning this possibility into a lasting future is a shared responsibility not only of states but also of peoples.