Hurriyet: Gul took brave and historic decision
President Abdullah Gul will on Saturday become the first Turkish head of state to visit Armenia, his office said, taking an important step to restart diplomatic relations between two neighboring countries, Hurriyet daily reports.
Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan invited Gul last month to attend the qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup finals to mark "a new symbolic start in the countries' relations". Turkish diplomats and security officials have been in Yerevan this week making final preparations.
"A visit around this match can create a new climate of friendship in the region," the Turkish presidency said in a statement posted on its website. "It is with this in mind that the president has accepted the invitation. This match could lift the obstacles blocking the coming together of two peoples who share a common history and can create a new foundation," it said.
Gul will arrive in Yerevan two hours before the match and go directly to Sargsyan's office. The meeting of two presidents is expected to last for one hour. They are expected to discuss the Nagorno Karabakh issue and Turkey's Stability and Cooperation Pact.
The Turkish delegation will leave Yerevan as soon as the match ends.
"Turkish President has made a brave and historic decision," Ertugrul Ozkok, editor-in-chief of Hurriyet daily, wrote in his column Thursday. "Turkey must know how to face issues that cloud its days, by taking such brave decisions," he added.
Ozkok wrote that he believed football would crack the ice walls that stand between the two countries. "The winner of Saturday's game is clear today. The winners of this match are the Turkish and Armenian people," he concluded.
Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan invited Gul last month to attend the qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup finals to mark "a new symbolic start in the countries' relations". Turkish diplomats and security officials have been in Yerevan this week making final preparations.
"A visit around this match can create a new climate of friendship in the region," the Turkish presidency said in a statement posted on its website. "It is with this in mind that the president has accepted the invitation. This match could lift the obstacles blocking the coming together of two peoples who share a common history and can create a new foundation," it said.
Gul will arrive in Yerevan two hours before the match and go directly to Sargsyan's office. The meeting of two presidents is expected to last for one hour. They are expected to discuss the Nagorno Karabakh issue and Turkey's Stability and Cooperation Pact.
The Turkish delegation will leave Yerevan as soon as the match ends.
"Turkish President has made a brave and historic decision," Ertugrul Ozkok, editor-in-chief of Hurriyet daily, wrote in his column Thursday. "Turkey must know how to face issues that cloud its days, by taking such brave decisions," he added.
Ozkok wrote that he believed football would crack the ice walls that stand between the two countries. "The winner of Saturday's game is clear today. The winners of this match are the Turkish and Armenian people," he concluded.
