All Headline News
Sept 6 2008

Turkish President Attends Soccer Match To Improve Relations With Armenia

September 6, 2008 2:59 p.m. EST

Mayur Pahilajani – AHN News Writer Ankara, Turkey (AHN) – Turkish
President Abdullah Gul made a landmark visit on Saturday by being the
first leader to set foot in neighboring Armenia.

Turkish president arrived into the capital from Yerevan airport to see
his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian and to attend a World Cup
qualifying match between the two national teams that have never played
each other before.

But hundreds of protesters did not like the President Gul visiting
Armenia as the two countries have no diplomatic relations over past
disputes.

Armenia was engaged with Turkey to recognize the 1915-1917 (World War
I) massacre of hundreds of thousands of Armenian civilians by Ottoman
forces as genocide.

Before he arrived in the capital city of Yerevan, Gul said that
Saturday’s match would help resolve disputes and lift the barriers
that divided Turkey and Armenia.

Turkish President also said that he would extend an invitation to the
Armenian President Sargsian to watch the Turkey-Armenia soccer match
on Oct. 14 in Turkey.