U. S. STATE DEPARTMENT: RA PRESIDENT MADE A COURAGEOUS STEP INVITING TURKISH PRESIDENT TO YEREVAN

DeFacto Agency
July 22 2008
Armenia

RA President Serzh Sargsian made a courageous step by inviting
Turkish President Abdullah Gul to Yerevan, said Matthew Bryza,
U.S. Deputy Assistance Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs. "Certainly, I can’t speak on behalf of President
Gul or Turkish government but the U. S. hopes that Abdullah Gul will
take this golden opportunity," he noted, PanARMENIAN.Net reports
quoting RFE/RL.

To note, RA President Serzh Sargsian invited Abdullah Gul to Yerevan
to a World Cup qualifying match between Armenian and Turkish teams
to be held on in September 6. According to Turkish FM Ali Babacan,
Abdullah Gul’s presence at the football match between Armenian and
Turkish teams in Yerevan will depend on the development of relations
between the two countries before the match. "Normalization
of relations with Armenia is one of serious goals of Turkey’s
foreign policy", he underscored.