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September 6, 2008

Turkish President in Armenia on Historic Trip
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1E0EE95:A6F02AD83191E1604CBA101B6D488A91C030207A0BD70133&
 
Abdullah Gul in Armenia to attend football game, an important
breakthrough for nations that have no diplomatic ties 
President Abdullah Gul waves as he boards a plane in Ankara before
leaving for Armenia to watch a soccer game, 06 Sep 2008Turkish President
Abdullah Gul arrived Saturday in Armenia to attend a football (soccer)
game, an important breakthrough for two nations that have no diplomatic
ties. Mr. Gul is the first Turkish leader to visit Armenia, although his
visit is not official. He is due to meet Saturday with Armenian
President Serzh Sarkisyan. Later Saturday, Mr. Gul will attend a World
Cup qualifying match between Armenia and Turkey in the Armenian capital,
Yerevan. Mr. Gul said he hoped the football game will help remove
barriers between two nations that share a common history, and also
contribute to regional peace and stability. In Yerevan, Mr. Gul's
motorcade passed hundreds of protesters who were demanding that Turkey
admit its role in the killing of 1.5 million ethnic Armenians nearly a
century ago. Armenians, along with much of the international community,
say Turkey's Ottoman rulers killed 1.5 million Armenians in an
orchestrated campaign between 1915 and 1923. Ankara strongly denies the
charge of genocide. It says the number of Armenian deaths is inflated
and that many Turks also were killed during the collapse of the Ottoman
Empire. Turkey and Armenia, which cut ties 15 years ago, are also at
odds over a disputed ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan. Armenia and
Turkish-backed Azerbaijan fought a six-year conflict over Azerbaijan's
largely Armenian-inhabited Nagorno-Karabakh region, which declared
independence in 1988. A cease-fire was declared in 1994, but sporadic
exchanges of gunfire continue. The conflict has claimed 35,000 lives.
Mr. Sarkisyan invited Mr. Gul to attend the football match, saying
improved ties will benefit both sides. Turkish sources say little
diplomatic progress will be made during the trip and that the real value
of the visit is being seen in its symbolism. Some information for this
report was provided by AFP!
  and AP.


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