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The Founder and Honorary President of the Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) Ambassador (R) Ömer Engin Lütem has passed away on 6 January 2018.

Ömer Engin Lütem entered the ranks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey in 1957 as a career officer. Throughout his career, he made great efforts to both defend and further Turkey’s goals both inside and outside of the country.

Ambassador Lütem, in addition to having been one of the most senior ambassadors of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs, was also well-known as a man of intellect for having contributed to Turkish intellectual life. After retiring and thus concluding his career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lütem continued to work as a respected researcher in think tanks. Between 2001-2008, Lütem headed the Institute for Armenian Research under the auspices of the Center for Eurasian Strategic Studies (ASAM). In 2009, he founded the Center For Eurasian Studies (AVİM), which he headed as Director until 2012, and served as Honorary President until his passing. Lütem, as was the case throughout his career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shunned emotional approaches to the questions he worked on, instead basing his research on facts and archival documents. With his research, he shed light on important issues facing Turkey. With his selfless and disciplined research, Lütem also facilitated the intellectual nurturing of future researchers.

Ambassador Lütem, as a result of his resolute patriotism, guaranteed his place as a staunch defender of Turkey’s national interests.

The staff of AVİM would like to express their condolences to his family, friends, those who loved him, and to the Turkish intellectual community.