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Goal.com, Switzerland
Sept 6 2008
Turkey Start With Two-Goal Victory
Turkey start their World Cup qualifying campaign with a confident away day victory in Armenia and lived up to their billing as Spain's main rivals in Group Five
Goals from Tuncay Sanli and Semir Senturk gave the visitors victory in a game that saw both countries' presidents attend as moves were made to ease political tensions between them.
The Turks were unable to score for an hour however and Armenia proved that they will be no pushovers on their own ground and the Spanish will have to be careful.
It was in the 61st minute that the opening came when Tuncay netted from close range and Senturk doubled that advantage eleven minutes from time when he capitalised on a defensive mistake.
Turkey had started brightly and had the opening chance with a shot from Mehmet Aurelio after just four minutes, but his drive was blocked by Armenia keeper Roman Brezovsky.
In the eighth minute the hosts replied with Volkan Demirei was tested by Gamlet Mkhitarian's effort from outside the area.
Emre Delozoglu did go close in the 27th minute with a shot that grazed the cross bar and and three minutes later Mevlut Erins hit the side-netting.
Securtity was tight for the encounter, but after the game passed off without incident the presidential groups all shook hands and applauded as the players on the pitch swapped shirts.
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Sept 6 2008
President G?Ã?¼l says Turkey-Armenia soccer match will generate
important opportunities
President Abdullah G?Ã?¼l said Saturday, aside from being the first match between two countries, tonight's World Cup qualifying match between the national soccer teams of Turkey and Armenia would generate important opportunities.
Speaking to reporters at Ankara's Esenbo?Ä?a International Airport, Abdullah G?Ã?¼l said that he would travel to Yerevan, Armenia to watch tonight's soccer match between Turkey and Armenia.
G?Ã?¼l said that his visit to Yerevan would take place upon an invitation by the Armenian President Serzh Sargsian.
"We have noticed a month ago how disputes in the Caucasus region pose a threat to stability and peace in the region. The war between the Russian Federation and Georgia had an impact not only on the regional countries but the whole globe," G?Ã?¼l said.
Stressing that his visit to Yerevan took place at an important period, G?Ã?¼l said that Sargsian and he would have an opportunity to discuss the developments in the region.
"As you know, we developed an initiative titled 'Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform' to facilitate permanent stability and peace in the Caucasus. We held discussions with the pros pective members of this platform (a platform that includes three Caucasian countries, the
Russian Federation and Turkey), except with Armenia. During my visit to Yerevan, I will have a chance to exchange viewpoints on this platform with the Armenian President Sargsian," G?Ã?¼l told.
"The topics of developments in the Caucasus, Upper Karabagh dispute, and bilateral relations will be discussed in Yerevan today," G?Ã?¼l said.
"I wish that the match to be played today will help the lifting of obstacles that prohibit closeness between the two peoples that share common history and will contribute to regional friendship and peace," G?Ã?¼l said.
"With these feelings and thoughts, I wish our national team success," G?Ã?¼l added.
Asked about the possible score of tonight's game, G?Ã?¼l said that he would not comment on the match itself except wishing for the Turkish side to win.
Sept 6 2008
President G?Ã?¼l says Turkey-Armenia soccer match will generate
important opportunities
President Abdullah G?Ã?¼l said Saturday, aside from being the first match between two countries, tonight's World Cup qualifying match between the national soccer teams of Turkey and Armenia would generate important opportunities.
Speaking to reporters at Ankara's Esenbo?Ä?a International Airport, Abdullah G?Ã?¼l said that he would travel to Yerevan, Armenia to watch tonight's soccer match between Turkey and Armenia.
G?Ã?¼l said that his visit to Yerevan would take place upon an invitation by the Armenian President Serzh Sargsian.
"We have noticed a month ago how disputes in the Caucasus region pose a threat to stability and peace in the region. The war between the Russian Federation and Georgia had an impact not only on the regional countries but the whole globe," G?Ã?¼l said.
Stressing that his visit to Yerevan took place at an important period, G?Ã?¼l said that Sargsian and he would have an opportunity to discuss the developments in the region.
"As you know, we developed an initiative titled 'Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform' to facilitate permanent stability and peace in the Caucasus. We held discussions with the pros pective members of this platform (a platform that includes three Caucasian countries, the
Russian Federation and Turkey), except with Armenia. During my visit to Yerevan, I will have a chance to exchange viewpoints on this platform with the Armenian President Sargsian," G?Ã?¼l told.
"The topics of developments in the Caucasus, Upper Karabagh dispute, and bilateral relations will be discussed in Yerevan today," G?Ã?¼l said.
"I wish that the match to be played today will help the lifting of obstacles that prohibit closeness between the two peoples that share common history and will contribute to regional friendship and peace," G?Ã?¼l said.
"With these feelings and thoughts, I wish our national team success," G?Ã?¼l added.
Asked about the possible score of tonight's game, G?Ã?¼l said that he would not comment on the match itself except wishing for the Turkish side to win.
Hürriyet, Turkey Sept 6 2008
Turkey ready to discuss diplomatic ties with Armenia
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said diplomatic ties would be discussed during his historic trip to Armenia to watch a football match Saturday but warned against raising expectations.
The football diplomacy is a significant move for two countries that have waged a bitter diplomatic battle over Armenia's invasion of Azerbaijani territory and attempts to have 1915 incidents classified as genocide.
It would be the first visit by a Turkish president since the former Soviet republic gained its independence in 1991.
"We don't have any diplomatic relations right now with the Armenians. What are we going to do about this? (It is) another area of discussion," for the Yerevan talks, Babacan told journalists late
Friday on the sidelines of an EU foreign ministers meeting at Avignon, southern France.
"I don't think we should raise expectations that high," for the negotiations, he added.
"But on the other hand, when we open the doors for dialogue that means we are ready to talk about the problems."
The rapprochement is an indirect result of the Georgia-Russia conflict, which Babacan described as an "alarming" scenario.
The fighting in neighboring Georgia "showed we need to come up with a fresh approach to resolution of conflict in the Caucasus," he said, and that meant including Armenia.
He said that while problems remained in the region Turkey's "vision" was to turn recent events "into an opportunity for lasting peace and stability."
Ankara had thus proposed the setting up of a "Caucasus platform for stability and cooperation" embracing Georgia, Russia, Armenia and the rest of the region in an informal grouping to discuss the gamut of issues.
On the 1915 incidents, Babacan said Turkey had opened its files and proposed a joint historic commission to investigate.
"History should be written by experts, by historians, history should not be decided by politicians," he said.
Before heading to Armenia, Babacan was taking part in a meeting with the foreign ministers of the European Union, of which Turkey is a candidate nation.
"When we look at the map of the Caucasus, we also see Armenia," said Babacan.
The Turkish minister said it was sheer luck the two countries were picked to play each other, but that "then it turned out to be a good opportunity, so to say, to start discussing directly the issues we have."
He declined to try and predict the result.
Turkey ready to discuss diplomatic ties with Armenia
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said diplomatic ties would be discussed during his historic trip to Armenia to watch a football match Saturday but warned against raising expectations.
The football diplomacy is a significant move for two countries that have waged a bitter diplomatic battle over Armenia's invasion of Azerbaijani territory and attempts to have 1915 incidents classified as genocide.
It would be the first visit by a Turkish president since the former Soviet republic gained its independence in 1991.
"We don't have any diplomatic relations right now with the Armenians. What are we going to do about this? (It is) another area of discussion," for the Yerevan talks, Babacan told journalists late
Friday on the sidelines of an EU foreign ministers meeting at Avignon, southern France.
"I don't think we should raise expectations that high," for the negotiations, he added.
"But on the other hand, when we open the doors for dialogue that means we are ready to talk about the problems."
The rapprochement is an indirect result of the Georgia-Russia conflict, which Babacan described as an "alarming" scenario.
The fighting in neighboring Georgia "showed we need to come up with a fresh approach to resolution of conflict in the Caucasus," he said, and that meant including Armenia.
He said that while problems remained in the region Turkey's "vision" was to turn recent events "into an opportunity for lasting peace and stability."
Ankara had thus proposed the setting up of a "Caucasus platform for stability and cooperation" embracing Georgia, Russia, Armenia and the rest of the region in an informal grouping to discuss the gamut of issues.
On the 1915 incidents, Babacan said Turkey had opened its files and proposed a joint historic commission to investigate.
"History should be written by experts, by historians, history should not be decided by politicians," he said.
Before heading to Armenia, Babacan was taking part in a meeting with the foreign ministers of the European Union, of which Turkey is a candidate nation.
"When we look at the map of the Caucasus, we also see Armenia," said Babacan.
The Turkish minister said it was sheer luck the two countries were picked to play each other, but that "then it turned out to be a good opportunity, so to say, to start discussing directly the issues we have."
He declined to try and predict the result.
Aljazeera.net, Qatar
Sept 6 2008
Armenians protest Gul visit
Abdullah Gul, the Turkish president, has been greeted by protests after arriving in Armenia to attend a football match in an attempt to
improve relations between the two countries.
Gul's arrival on Saturday in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, marked the
first visit to the country by a Turkish head of state since Armenian
independence in 1991.
The two countries have long argued over Armenia's attempt to have
recognised as genocide a massacre of hundreds of thousands of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks during the First World War.
Hundreds of Armenians lined the route of Gul's motorcade to protest
against Ankara's refusal to consider the 1915-1917 atrocities as
crimes against humanity.
Bardasar Akhpar, a demonstrator, said: "We are here because we want to
tell the entire world that we do not forget the genocide of 1915.
"We will not welcome Gul nor any other Turk until they have recognised
the genocide."
Breakthrough 'unlikely'
Gul was taken to meet Serzh Sakisian, the Armenian president, after
being invited by him to attend a world Cup football qualifier between
Armenia and Turkey at Yerevan's Hrazdan stadium.
The invitation was extended despite the fact the two countries do not
share diplomatic relations.
On meeting Sarkisian, Gul offered the Armenian leader the opportunity
to watch a return football match between the two countries in Turkey
next month.
"I hope that this visit will create the possiblity to improve
bilateral relations," said Gul at a joint press conference with
Sarkisian in Yerevan.
Sarkisian said the visit there is a "political will to decide the
questions between our countries, so that these problems are not passed
on to the next generation".
Armenians say that up to 1.5 million of their people were slaughtered
by Ottoman Turks as their empire fell apart at the height of the First
World War.
Yerevan's claim has won support from several other countries.
Turkey rejects the accusation and says that 300,000-500,000 Armenians
and at least as many Turks died in civil strife after Armenians took
up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia.
Nadim Baba, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Yerevan, said Armenians
appear to be holding out for improved relations with their country's
westward neighbour.
"From the people that we have spoken to on the streets of Yerevan, I
would say that the majority are longing for better relations with
Turkey, while being very much concerned that their government do not
give away too many concessions to Ankara," he said.
"They do not want to let go of the hope that one day the world will
recognise what happened almost a hundred years ago as a genocide.
"They also want to see their economy improve through better relations
with Turkey and other countries in the region."
'Lifting barriers'
Ali Babacan, Turkey's foreign minister, said diplomatic ties between
Ankara and Yerevan would be discussed between during talks between Gul
and Sarkisian but he a major breakthrough was unlikely.
"I do not think we should raise expectations that high ¦ But on the
other hand, when we open the doors for dialogue, that means we are
ready to talk about the problems," Babacan said.
"It is my wish that this match will help lift the barriers dividing
two people who share a common history and will contribute to regional
friendship and peace," Gul said ahead of his visit.
Turkey has refused to establish diplomatic ties with Armenia since the
former Soviet republic gained independence.
Turkey also shut its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of
solidarity with its close ally Azerbaijan, then at war with Armenia
over Nagorny Karabakh, a secessionist Armenian-majority region in
Azerbaijan.
Sept 6 2008
Armenians protest Gul visit
Abdullah Gul, the Turkish president, has been greeted by protests after arriving in Armenia to attend a football match in an attempt to
improve relations between the two countries.
Gul's arrival on Saturday in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, marked the
first visit to the country by a Turkish head of state since Armenian
independence in 1991.
The two countries have long argued over Armenia's attempt to have
recognised as genocide a massacre of hundreds of thousands of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks during the First World War.
Hundreds of Armenians lined the route of Gul's motorcade to protest
against Ankara's refusal to consider the 1915-1917 atrocities as
crimes against humanity.
Bardasar Akhpar, a demonstrator, said: "We are here because we want to
tell the entire world that we do not forget the genocide of 1915.
"We will not welcome Gul nor any other Turk until they have recognised
the genocide."
Breakthrough 'unlikely'
Gul was taken to meet Serzh Sakisian, the Armenian president, after
being invited by him to attend a world Cup football qualifier between
Armenia and Turkey at Yerevan's Hrazdan stadium.
The invitation was extended despite the fact the two countries do not
share diplomatic relations.
On meeting Sarkisian, Gul offered the Armenian leader the opportunity
to watch a return football match between the two countries in Turkey
next month.
"I hope that this visit will create the possiblity to improve
bilateral relations," said Gul at a joint press conference with
Sarkisian in Yerevan.
Sarkisian said the visit there is a "political will to decide the
questions between our countries, so that these problems are not passed
on to the next generation".
Armenians say that up to 1.5 million of their people were slaughtered
by Ottoman Turks as their empire fell apart at the height of the First
World War.
Yerevan's claim has won support from several other countries.
Turkey rejects the accusation and says that 300,000-500,000 Armenians
and at least as many Turks died in civil strife after Armenians took
up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia.
Nadim Baba, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Yerevan, said Armenians
appear to be holding out for improved relations with their country's
westward neighbour.
"From the people that we have spoken to on the streets of Yerevan, I
would say that the majority are longing for better relations with
Turkey, while being very much concerned that their government do not
give away too many concessions to Ankara," he said.
"They do not want to let go of the hope that one day the world will
recognise what happened almost a hundred years ago as a genocide.
"They also want to see their economy improve through better relations
with Turkey and other countries in the region."
'Lifting barriers'
Ali Babacan, Turkey's foreign minister, said diplomatic ties between
Ankara and Yerevan would be discussed between during talks between Gul
and Sarkisian but he a major breakthrough was unlikely.
"I do not think we should raise expectations that high ¦ But on the
other hand, when we open the doors for dialogue, that means we are
ready to talk about the problems," Babacan said.
"It is my wish that this match will help lift the barriers dividing
two people who share a common history and will contribute to regional
friendship and peace," Gul said ahead of his visit.
Turkey has refused to establish diplomatic ties with Armenia since the
former Soviet republic gained independence.
Turkey also shut its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of
solidarity with its close ally Azerbaijan, then at war with Armenia
over Nagorny Karabakh, a secessionist Armenian-majority region in
Azerbaijan.
The Age, Australia
Sept 7 2008
Turkish president pays landmark visit to Armenia
September 7, 2008 - 7:10AM
The presidents of Armenia and Turkey pledged Saturday to overcome
decades of enmity between their two nations during the first visit to
Yerevan by a Turkish head of state.
Abdullah Gul held talks with Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian
after which the two agreed there was now the "political will" to
improve relations frozen for decades by lingering bitterness over
1915-1917 massacres.
Gul's visit was hailed by French and EU President Nicolas Sarkozy as
"courageous and historic" at a time when the Caucasus region is in
turmoil following the conflict in Armenia's northern neighbour
Georgia.
But in a sign of the hard road ahead, Gul's arrival at Yerevan's
Hrazdan stadium to watch a World Cup football qualifier between the
two nations was greeted by loud boos and hisses by Armenian fans.
Amid tight security, Gul took his seat behind a special bullet-proof
area and had to listen to the chorus of boos that accompanied every
positive move by the Turkish team. The far stronger Turkish side ended
up winning the match 2-0.
"I hope that this visit will create the possibility to improve
bilateral relations," Gul had said earlier in the Armenian capital.
Sarkisian declared there was a "political will to decide the questions
between our countries, so that these problems are not passed on to the
next generation."
He also said he had been asked by Gul to attend a return football
fixture in Turkey on October 14, but did not say whether or not he had
accepted.
The two countries -- which have no diplomatic relations -- have waged
an international diplomatic battle over Yerevan's efforts to have the
1915-1917 massacre of hundreds of thousands of Armenians recognised as
genocide.
Several hundred angry protestors lined the route of Gul's motorcade as
it made its way into the capital from Yerevan airport, holding aloft
the Armenian flag and nationalist emblems.
"We are here because we want to tell the entire world that we do not
forget the genocide of 1915. We will not welcome Gul or any other Turk
until they have recognised the genocide," one protester, Bardasar
Akhpar, told AFP.
At the start of the match about 80 young protesters gathered at a
monument to victims of the killings in central Yerevan, laying flowers
and lighting torches.
"We want to draw (Gul's) attention to this monument, so he knows it is
not standing empty and that people have gathered here to show that the
young generation remembers everything," said organiser Airapet
Babaian.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their people were killed between
1915 and 1917 in orchestrated massacres during World War I as the
Ottoman Empire fell apart -- a claim supported by several other
countries.
Turkey rejects the genocide label and argues that 300,000-500,000
Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil strife when
Armenians took up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia and sided
with invading Russian troops.
Turkey's footballers were supported by only about 200 forlorn
followers in a seating area that could have held 10 times more and was
ringed by Armenian police.
Both sets of fans however departed peacefully while the Turkish
president boarded a plane to return home.
Some were prepared to embrace the conciliatory message the Turkish and
Armenian leaders were trying to put across.
"I'm not interested in football at all. In fact, I hate it because of
the nationalism that comes with it," said Ahmet Turkana, a Turkish
activist from a pro-democracy group called Young Civilians over for
the game.
"But today it's different. Football is here to unite, not to divide."
Sevak Sahakian, a hotel worker in Yerevan said: "Everyone knows about
it and people are happy because they hope better ties with Turkey will
improve daily life. But people aren't enthusiastic because they don't
trust the Turks."
Turkey has refused to establish diplomatic ties with Armenia since the
former Soviet republic gained independence in 1991.
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