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Turkey, Armenia Continue Diplomacy "Game"

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  • Turkey, Armenia Continue Diplomacy "Game"

    TURKEY, ARMENIA CONTINUE DIPLOMACY "GAME"
    By Ayhan Simsek

    Southeast European Times
    16/10/2009

    Four days after a historic agreement between Turkey and Armenia was
    signed, the countries' leaders met up for a football match.

    A symbolically important football match between Turkey and Armenia
    on Wednesday (October 14th) boosted hopes for normalising relations
    between the two neighbours.

    Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan paid his first visit to Turkey,
    at the invitation of Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, and the two
    watched the match side-by-side, chatting throughout the game.

    Sargsyan's visit came four days after the signing in Zurich of
    historic agreements between the two countries, aimed at establishing
    diplomatic relations and opening the border. The two protocols, signed
    by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Armenian counterpart
    Edward Nalbandian, mark the first bilateral agreement between the
    neighbours in about 88 years.

    The "football" meeting between Sargsyan and Gul has been interpreted
    by local media as signs of further warming between the countries and
    growing confidence in the process.

    Tension was high before and during the match in Bursa, a former
    capital of the Ottoman Empire. Officials feared protests or violence
    by ultra-nationalists or hooligans. Heavy security prevented any
    major problems before or after the match, which Turkey won 2-0.

    The rapprochement between the two countries has been met with
    opposition from nationalists in both countries -- particularly
    Armenia. Sargsyan was under strong pressure not to visit Turkey and
    initiate the process of normalisation.

    In Turkey, the government is under strong criticism by the
    opposition for selling out strong ally Azerbaijan. The Karabakh
    region of Azerbaijan has been under Armenian occupation since 1993. In
    response, Turkey closed its border with Armenia as a sign of support
    for Azerbaijan.

    Ankara had long insisted that after Armenia moves towards a settlement
    in Karabakh, it would open t border with its northeast neighbour.

    But the protocols signed in Zurich on October 10th foresee the
    establishment of diplomatic relations and opening the border without
    any direct reference to Karabakh. Armenia insists that its ties with
    Turkey are not linked to its conflict with Azerbaijan.

    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted this week that
    there will still be progress towards a solution in Karabakh to ensure
    that the signed agreements with Armenia are realised.

    The agreements must be ratified by the both countries' parliaments
    before taking effect.

    This content was commissioned for SETimes.com

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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