15 Oct 2009

Armenia, Turkey practise football diplomacy

8:43 pm on 15 October 2009

The president of Armenia has visited Turkey in a fresh step towards reconciliation between the two countries after nearly a century of hostility.

Serge Sarkisian, making the first visit to Turkey by an Armenian leader, joined his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul at a World Cup qualifying football match between the two countries.

Turkish fans booed Armenia's anthem at the start of the game - which Turkey won 2-0 - in the western city of Bursa.

Last week, Turkey and Armenia signed a historic accord normalising relations.

Relations between the two countries have been overshadowed by bitterness since the 1915 mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War I.