Azerbaijan confirms security guarantees to UEFA for Mkhitaryan visit in Europa League finale

14:42,

YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan’s football authority has given assurances to UEFA that Armenian international, Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will not have problems to travel to Baku for the May 29 Europa League final where the Gunners face Chelsea, according to a written answer by UEFA to TASS.

According to the report, UEFA told TASS that the Azerbaijani Association of Football Federations has confirmed that Mkhitaryan’s visit will not be a problem and it will provide security guarantees.

Earlier in 2015 when Mkhitaryan was with Borussia Dortmund, the German club decided not to take the Armenian international to Baku for a match against Gabala due to "security reasons”, referring to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict-related situation.

Azerbaijan currently bans citizens of Armenia to enter its territory.

Other details weren’t immediately clear.

Earlier in April it was reported that UEFA will support Mkhitaryan for a visa bid.

Whether or not Mkhitaryan himself wants to travel to Baku for the match remains unclear.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS