Category: Asia and Pacific

YEREVAN (AFP) — Armenia and Turkey pledged to overcome decades of enmity over the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces after Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s pathbreaking visit to Yerevan for a football match.

Gul, the first Turkish president to visit Armenia, Saturday held talks with counterpart Serzh Sarkisian after which the two agreed there was the “political will” to improve ties frozen for decades over the 1915-1917 massacres by Turkish troops.

The visit was hailed by French and EU President Nicolas Sarkozy as “courageous and historic.”

“I believe that my visit was fruitful and that it promises hope for the future,” Gul said after returning to Ankara, adding that he had a constructive and sincere” meeting with Sarkisian.

He said he had won Yerevan’s support for a new regional grouping in the Caucasus following last month’s conflict between Georgia and Russia.

“I was happy to see that we were unanimous with the Armenian side on the need for mutual dialogue to remove barriers to improving bilateral ties.

AFP: Turkey, Armenia vow to end traditional enmity after Gul’s visit.

Armenia and Turkey have pledged to overcome decades of enmity and disagreement over the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces.

Abdullah Gul became the first Turkish president to visit Armenia on Saturday, attending a football match in Yerevan and meeting Serzh Sarkisian, his Armenian counterpart.

The two agreed there was the “political will” to improve ties frozen for decades over the 1915-1917 massacres carried out by Turkish troops.

“I believe that my visit was fruitful and that it promises hope for the future,” Gul said after returning to Ankara.

“I was happy to see that we were unanimous with the Armenian side on the need for mutual dialogue to remove barriers to improving bilateral ties.”

Sarkisian said earlier there was a “political will to decide the questions between our countries, so that these problems are not passed on to the next generation”.

Al Jazeera English – Europe – Armenia and Turkey to improve ties

Reuters, Saturday September 6 2008 (Recasts with arrival; changes dateline, previous ANKARA)

By Paul de Bendern

YEREVAN, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Turkish President Abdullah Gul flew into neighbouring Armenia on Saturday to attend a soccer match he said could help end almost a century of mutual hostility and aid security in the broader Caucasus region.

Attack helicopters escorted Gul’s jet on its arrival, and police and demonstrators lined the traffic-free streets as his motorcade sped through downtown Yerevan.

Gul is the first Turkish leader to visit Armenia. Ankara and Yerevan have no diplomatic ties but a relationship haunted by the question of whether ethnic Armenians killed by Ottoman Turks during World War One were victims of systematic genocide.

Gul was invited to attend Saturday’s match at the Hrazdan stadium by his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarksyan, who called for closer ties in a region rocked last month by Russia’s war with Georgia. The brief conflict raised fears for the security of energy supplies from the Caspian Sea to western Europe.

Football Feed Article | Football | guardian.co.uk.

Reuters, Saturday September 6 2008 By Paul de Bendern

ANKARA, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Turkish President Abdullah Gul expressed hope on Saturday that a landmark soccer match between Turkey and Armenia would aid a “rapprochement” of neighbouring nations at odds for nearly 100 years.

Gul spoke on departure for Yerevan, where he will attend Saturday evening’s World Cup qualifier at the Hrazdan stadium and become the first Turkish leader to step foot in Armenia.

“This match is important beyond being the first match between the Turkish and Armenian national teams,” he told a news conference. “It has a significance that will present important opportunities.”

Football Feed Article | Football | guardian.co.uk.

Turkish President Gul said that he was pleased to visit Yerevan, adding that they evaluated the national match opportunity in a good way.

Sunday, 07 September 2008 10:17

Turkish President Abdullah Gul met with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsian in Yerevan on Saturday.

Gul visited Yerevan to watch the World Cup qualifying match between the national soccer teams of Turkey and Armenia.

Following the meeting, Gul told reporters that he was pleased to visit Yerevan, adding that they evaluated the national match opportunity in a good way.

World Bulletin [ Gul invites Sargsian to Istanbul match ].