Cyprus-Forum.com

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TURKISH AND ARMENIAN NATIONAL TEAMS TO PLAY ‘DIPLOMACY’ QUALIFIER IN BURSA-TURKEY

Turkish and Armenian national football teams will face each other tonight in a World Cup qualifier, only days after Turkish and Armenian ministers sealed an accord stipulating normalization of diplomatic relations.

The match between the two countries which have both failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in Africa is seen as important in terms of building stronger diplomatic ties between Ankara and Yerevan.
The Turkish city of Bursa will be hosting the historic match which will be watched by Turkish President Abdullah Gul and his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan.

The qualifier is considered as a warm-up for restoration of long-standing bitter relations between Turkey and Armenia.

Officials have introduced tight security measures to avert provocations during the match.

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gül went to Yerevan last year to watch a football match between the two sides, realizing the first phase of what has been called soccer diplomacy.

Meanwhile, the governor of Bursa Sahabettin Harput has announced that Azerbaijani and TRNC flags will be allowed into the Stadium.
But FIFA recommended not to bring Azerbaijani and TRNC flags
in to stadium.