Armenia will fail to solve vital issue through football: MP

“Time will show whether there will be football policy. At the moment we can assume several scenarios. This may be a purely sports event. It may involve a small delegation from Armenia and everything can be limited to this,” he said.

“Another option is that Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan will arrive at the match as a reciprocal step and as an opportunity to use this time to probe the issue of opening Turkey-Armenia border,” he added.

“As to Serzh Sargsyan’s statement that he will not visit Turkey until Ankara does not take real steps to open Armenia-Turkey border, it was not the final answer. There are ample of such statements by Sargsyan and other Armenia officials. At the same time, they quickly changed their position,” Mirzazade said.

“Perhaps Sargsyan will change his decision or send another senior official on his behalf. It all depends on to what degree Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be solved by that time. That is, if there are encouraging results about the Karabakh issue and Sargsyan,  backed by resolution of the Karabakh issue, will go himself and will be willing to quickly resolve the issue of opening borders,” he said.  

“Armenia needs opening of the border with Turkey very much. Opening border with Azerbaijan is also important for Armenia. But the Armenia is well aware that until there is no progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, they will not witness opening of borders with these countries. Therefore, Armenia’s position in this issue may be repeatedly changed and be unexpected,” he said.

“Just watch a football match is a personal matter of the Armenian leadership, but Armenia will fail to solve a vital question through football.”

“Turkish officials have repeatedly stated that opening borders between Turkey and Armenia will be resolved only after the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As long as Armenia does not agree to withdraw its troops from occupied Azerbaijani territories, Turkey will not open its border with Armenia,” Azerbaijani MP said.

/Day.Az/