DIPLOMATIC COUP AT FOOTBALL MATCH

B92
15 October 2009 | 16:03

BURSA — Armenian President Serge Sarkisian has visited Turkey in
a fresh step towards reconciliation between the two nations after
nearly a century of hostility.

In the first such visit by an Armenian leader for a decade, he
joined Turkish President Abdullah Gul at a World Cup qualifying
football match.

Turkish fans booed Armenia’s anthem at the start of the game – which
Turkey won 2-0 – in the western city of Bursa.

Last week, Turkey and Armenia signed a historic accord normalizing
relations.

Relations between the two countries have been overshadowed by
bitterness since the 1915 mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman forces
during the First World War.

Yerevan wants Ankara to recognize the killings as an act of genocide,
but successive Turkish governments have refused to do so.

Security was tight around the stadium as Sarkisian and Gul attended
the match between Turkey and Armenia, following a dinner hosted by
the Turkish president.

Sarkisian smiled as Turkey scored, while Gul applauded, and the two
were seen chatting.

Despite appeals from loudspeakers for respect, jeering erupted when
Armenia’s national anthem was played at the start of the game.

Earlier, a bus carrying Armenian journalists was pelted with stones
by dozens of shouting fans, but no-one was injured.

Some fans released white doves in a gesture of peace that drew applause
in the stadium.

Despite Turkey’s win the outcome was of no significance as both teams
are already out of the running for the 2010 World Cup finals.

Last year, Gul attended a game between the two nations in Armenia,
kicking off a round of "football diplomacy" that eventually led to
last week’s accord.

Under the agreement, Turkey and Armenia are to establish diplomatic
ties and reopen their shared border.

The accord still needs to be ratified by the parliaments of Armenia
and Turkey.

Last week, thousands of people protested against the deal in Yerevan.

Armenians have campaigned for the killi – and more than 20 countries
have done so.

Turkey admits that many Armenians were killed but says the deaths
were part of the widespread fighting that took place in World War I.

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 because of its war
with Azerbaijan, during which Armenian troops seized the Azeri region
of Nagorno-Karabakh.

On Sunday, Azerbaijan said Turkey should not have normalised ties
Armenia without a deal over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the opening of
his country’s border with Armenia would be tied to progress on the
disputed region.