Normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations began even before football match: Turkish prime minister

The final match of the World Cup qualifier 2010 between Turkey and Armenia ended with 2:0 in favor of Turkey on Oct. 14.

Turkish and Armenian Presidents Abdullah Gul and Serzh Sargsyan, as well as UEFA president Michel Platini watched the match. About 400 local and international media outlets highlighted the match. About 12 TV channels aired it lively.

Armenian President Sargsyan's visit is a very important factor despite Armenian world lobby's pressure, the prime minister said.  

"I think that the match was held peacefully. Armenia felt hospitality of Turkish people," Erdogan said.

He said that the population of Bursa demonstrated unity between Turkish people and the government.

Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward Nalbandyan signed Turkey-Armenia protocols to resume diplomatic relations and reopen border in Zurich on Oct. 10.

Armenian-Turkish diplomatic ties have been severed since 1993 due to Armenia's claims of an alleged genocide and its occupation of Azerbaijani lands.

/Trend News/