U.S. URGES ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT TURKEY FOR A SOCCER GAME

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
29.09.2009 01:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The United States said Monday that Turkish-Armenian
efforts to normalize ties would benefit if President Serzh Sarkisian
of Armenia visited Turkey for a soccer game between the two countries,
AFP reports.

Phil Gordon, the US assistant secretary of State for European affairs,
said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York that he
understood that "the Armenian president has been invited to Turkey
for the return" World Cup qualifying match.

"We think it would be a good thing if he attended it, reciprocating
the attendance of the Turkish president of the match when it was in
Armenia," Gordon told reporters when asked to comment on a reciprocal
visit.

"It would be a good sign and further evidence of the two countries
coming together if he went to the football match," Gordon said after
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met separately with the Turkish
and Armenian foreign ministers in New York.

In Ankara, Turkish officials said Sunday that Turkey and Armenia
will sign a landmark deal to establish diplomatic ties next month
in Switzerland in a bid to end decades of animosity over World War
I massacres.