Turkey, Armenia try to mend ties through soccer

Danielle Jones
Turkey, Armenia try to mend ties through soccer
Rival Countries, Turkey and Armenia will have a soccer match on Saturday. This game is causing great confusion and hesitation among citizens in both of these countries. Problems between these two countries derive from massacres rooted during the Ottoman Empire, during which genocide occurred. About 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Turks, and in retaliation, Armenians killed Turkish diplomats in later years. The two countries have not had connections with one another since Armenia declared independence in 1991. Since the Cold War, Turkey has made amends with all countries besides Armenians, due to the unresolved tension. Turkey still seems to be harboring hostility toward Armenia for the killing of diplomats in the 1970’s and 80’s. Many soccer fans, as well as many politicians, refuse to attend the game in anticipation that there will be up stir due to major problems in the past. Though the media is trying to encourage natives to attend the match, Turkey’s team coach has warned against it, saying that it will in turn, distract the teams.
I believe that the mending of Turkey and Armenia will take more than just a simple soccer game to fully repair. Many citizens are probably hesitant of going to the game because they expect a negative outcome, based on past experiences. I do, however, believe that the game could be a jump start in building an alliance between the two countries, which could very well prove to be beneficial. An alliance between Turkey and Armenia would bring stability in grouping success, and allow the surrounding countries: Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan to help Georgia in their time of conflict.
http://www.newsobserver.com/1635/story/1207647.html