UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and writer Metin Arditi has addressed a letter to President of Turkey Recep Tayyib Erdogan, calling on him to normalize Turkey’s relations with Armenia.

As reports Turkey’s oppositional Cumhuriyet periodical, Metin Arditi’s letter has been posted in French and Turkish in L’Hebdo magazine, which is a Swiss magazine with the largest readership.

In his letter, the author first emphasizes that one of the key characteristics of a “great political figure” is to do more than is expected. The Goodwill Ambassador says the normalization of relations with Armenia is perhaps the major issues facing Erdogan. According to the author, the ultimate and complete solution to the Armenian Cause will radically change Turkey, Europe and the whole world.

Arditi reminds that the November 1 elections have made Erdogan very powerful and emphasizes the following: “Now you have only 100 days to be as influential as possible to build the future of Turkey (this number has become symbolic after Napoleon).”

The Goodwill Ambassador stresses the fact that the absence of diplomatic relations with Armenia, the closed borders, the suspended Protocols signed in Zurich and, most importantly, the denial of the Armenian Genocide are causing great harm to Turkey’s international reputation, and this is especially the reason why the doors to the European Union (EU) remain closed for Turkey.

According to Aditi, Turkey can move towards normalization of relations by taking small steps, opening the borders, passing the Protocols, establishing a commission and waiting for the results of their studies.

“But the most daring step that Turkey can take today is to recognize the genocide. That decision will bring you great glory and honor,” writes the Goodwill Ambassador, reports ermenihaber.am.

“The Turkish nation will admire your power and piety. Your decision will cause uproar in Europe,” Arditi continues. “You will become a powerful leader for Europe. And finally, the doors of the European Union will open for Turkey, as it should have been a long time ago. And finally, you will remind the whole world that Islam is a religion of piety and peace. Millions of people will pray for you. With this, you will affirm that Turkey is one of the powerful countries in the West and in the East.”

Born to a Jewish family in 1945 in Ankara, Metin Arditi lives in Geneva and is a citizen of Switzerland and Turkey. In 2012, he was declared a Goodwill Ambassador of the UNESCO and has been an Ambassador for Cross-Cultural Dialogue since 2014.