TURKISH PRESIDENT EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDMARK ARMENIA VISIT
by Burak Akinci
Agence France Presse
Sept 3 2008
President Abdullah Gul could become the first Turkish leader to
visit neighbouring Armenia on Saturday, taking a key step to end
almost a century of animosity over the massacre of Armenians under
the Ottoman empire.
A football match between the two countries, who have no diplomatic
relations, is the excuse for the landmark encounter.
Armenia’s President Serzh Sarkisian invited Gul to attend the World
Cup qualifier in Yerevan on Saturday.
Turkey has not officially said whether Gul accepted but Turkish media
said he will go and an informed source told AFP that Gul would go to
the Armenian capital for a few hours to attend the match.
Turkey’s Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Unal Cevikoz
was to go to Yerevan on Wednesday to finalise details, the source
said. Turkish security services were already in Yerevan to discuss
safety measures in case of demonstrations.
Turkey has refused to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia
since it became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. The key
reason is Armenia’s campaign for the deaths of Armenian civilians in
1915-1917 to be classified as genocide.
Armenia says up to 1.5 million people were killed in orchestrated
massacres during World War I as the Ottoman Empire fell apart.
Turkey rejects the genocide label and argues that 300,000 Armenians
and at least as many Turks died in civil strife as Armenians fought
for independence in eastern Anatolia and sided with invading Russian
troops.
Tens of thousands of people take part in an annual memorial in
Yerevan each year and about 20 countries have recognised the events
as genocide.
In 2005, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a first
step towards easing relations when he proposed a joint commission of
historians to investigate the events. Armenia rejected the idea.
Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) said Tuesday
none of its parliamentary members would attend the match to avoid
politicising any visit — which opposition parties and nationalists
fervently oppose.
"I would prefer to go to Baku for a football match but not to Yerevan,"
said opposition leader Deniz Baykal.
"The Armenian constitution is based on territorial claims from eastern
Turkey. How can a Turkish president visit this country?" said Mustafa
Unal, a professor of political sciences at Ankara University.
There are groups in favour though.
Tusiad, the main business association, sees the presidential visit as
an opportunity for Turkey to promote its Caucasus Stability Pact. The
pact aims to create deeper political and economic ties in the region
and prevent conflicts such as the current crisis in Georgia.
On the sporting side, Turkey’s national team coach Faith Terim said
Tuesday the match could help build better relations with Armenia. The
team are going to Yerevan "to play a game and not to fight a war,"
he added.