Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s visit to Yerevan last September was perceived as a historic event by many. Armenia and Turkey started a rapprochement process, and a declaration approved by the two states’ foreign offices proved to be evidence thereof. Showing tolerance, the two Presidents accepted the term “football diplomacy” to designate the process. Gul’s invitation to Yerevan proved to be a kind of “serve to the penalty area”, which was to be followed by Turkey’s blow on the major target, namely, the establishment of diplomatic relations and unblocking of borders. The blow was to be delivered before Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s return visit to Turkey. The Armenian leader is expected to visit Turkey this October to attend a return match between the Armenian and Turkish national football teams. There remain about 50 days, but Turkey is not in a hurry to deliver a blow. Should the Armenian leader continue “serving” or should he drop out? NEWS. am asked representatives of political forces to make their comments.

Razmik Zohrabyan, Vice-Chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) pronounced against President Sargsyan’s visit to Turkey. He stated that, after Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic offered the Armenian leader to go to Turkey “by air” to attend the football match — as the re-opening of the Armenian-Turkish border is conditional on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict — President Sargsyan “would act right if he kept his own promise.” As regards possible accusations against Armenia on the part of international community, Zohrabyan said: “Indeed, two opposite opinions do exist, and the international community may accuse Armenia of being ‘unconstructive’: Gul arrived in Armenia to watch the match, but you will not.” He believes “football diplomacy” was initiated after the “roadmap” was approved in Switzerland. “If Turkey will not open the border, setting preconditions for that, the Armenian leader will be right if he does not go to Turkey, as the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement process will be slowed down for a while,” Zohrabyan said.

Giro Manoyan, Head of the Hay Dat (Armenian Cause) office, Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) is against the Armenian President’s visit to Turkey. “The President stated he would not go to Turkey provided the border had been re-opened or relevant measures were in progress. We have only 50 days before the football match, and the border will hardly be reopened or measures to lift Armenia’s blockade are unlikely to be launched. So Serzh Sargsyan had better not go to Turkey,” Manoyan said. He does not rule out the possibility of the Armenian President’s visit under international pressure.

Stepan Safaryan of the Heritage opposition parliamentary faction is not much interested in whether the Armenian President will visit Turkey or not. “I am not any more interested in any changes in this issue. It is my view of the problem. The processes are obviously involving persons and the matter of saving their political reputation, not the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. It is not the visit itself that is of importance, but whether it will rectify the errors made by the Armenian authorities and whether the negotiations will be acceptable to the Armenian side or not,” Safaryan said. As regards international pressure on Armenia, he said: “I was the first in Armenia to state Sargsyan would go to Turkey as it is important for the international community, which, in turn, will pressure both sides, especially Turkey. An interim step seems to be a solution – for example, the border can temporarily be reopened for Armenian football players. However, it does not mean a final solution.”

Vladimir Karapetyan of the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) said the Armenian authorities have created a situation when the Armenian leader’s visiting and refusing to visit Turkey – both are to the country’s detriment. “The developments, especially after the April 22 statement was adopted, are such that no serious changes should be expected in any way,” Karapetyan said. The Armenian authorities have repeatedly stated Turkey has turned aside from the agreements. So Serzh Sargsyan will not go. If this is so, the Armenian side can and must make the commitments – the roadmap — available for the public to prove they do not constitute any danger to us, but Turkey is violating them."