Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Sept 7 2008

TURKISH PRESIDENT SAYS VISIT TO ARMENIA "VERY FRUITFUL"

Ankara, 7 September: Turkish President Abdullah Gul said that Turkey
and Armenia shared common thoughts on the need for dialogue to
eradicate obstacles blocking the development of bilateral relations.

Speaking to reporters, President Gul stressed that his visit to
Yerevan on Saturday [6 September] was very fruitful.

"My visit to Yerevan is promising for the future. This visit
displayed, once again, Turkey’s importance in the region," Gul said.

"I have completed my visit to Yerevan with very positive feelings and
thoughts. I congratulate the Turkish national soccer team for high
performance and the successful result attained," Gul noted.

"Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and I discussed bilateral
relations, the developments in Georgia and regional matters," Gul
said.

"We were pleased with Armenia’s announcement that it supports Turkey’s
proposal of a ‘Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform’," Gul
said.

In reference to his visit to Yerevan, Gul stressed that "there was a
ball in our side. This ball should not have remained in our side."

"The most important issue in the Caucasus is the Karabakh issue. My
visit to Yerevan may contribute to the solution of this problem," Gul
said.

"Armenian officials did not make any comments on the ‘so-called’
genocide while I was in Yerevan," Gul added.

President Gul invited Sargsyan to Turkey-Armenia soccer match to be
played in Turkey.