PRESIDENTS OF ARMENIA, TURKEY MEET IN BURSA: SECOND ROUND OF FOOTBALL DIPLOMACY
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
15.10.2009 11:29

The Armenia-Turkey football match is something more than just
a sporting event. It has evoked a wide response and started the
Armenia-Turkey normalization process, the Foreign Minister of Armenia,
Edward, told reporters following the Turkey-Armenia football match
in Bursa on October 14.

The Armenian FM pointed out that the October 14 meeting proved to be
an excellent occasion for the two Presidents to discuss the way they
have passed, as well as the step that are to follow the signing of
the Armenian-Turkish protocols in Zurich on October 10.

"The presidents of Armenia and Turkey, Serzh Sargsyan and Abdullah
Gul discussed on Wednesday the results of what has been done over
the past year to normalize bilateral relations," Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandyan told reporters.

Summing up the results of the talks, he noted that the two presidents
had considered in particular prospects for ratifying Armenian-Turkish
protocols.

"They discussed what must be done to boost the implementation of
these documents (on the establishment of diplomatic relations and
the development of contacts between Armenia and Turkey)," the Foreign
Minister said.

"It will open the door that has for a long time divided our nations
and lay the foundations for further bilateral relations," the
Minister said.