TURK’S DIPLOMATIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ATTENDING FOOTBALL (ER… SOCCER) MATCH
The Media Line
_daily.asp?Date=09/04/2008&category_id=8
Sept 4 2008
NY
The decision by Turkish President Abdullah Gul to attend the football
(soccer, Americans) match between Turkey and Armenia is being viewed
as a diplomatic achievement. The World Cup qualifying match will be
played in Armenia on Saturday. Turkey and Armenia continue to feud
over the deaths of as many as 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of
the Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1917. Bitter debate over whether the
killings constitute "genocide" divides the international community. The
Turkey-Armenia border is closed as a result of the fight. Gul will
become the first Turkish president to visit Armenia and is expected
to come under political fire at home for doing so.