Turkish and Armenian leaders take 2008 Peace and Sport Award

Turkish and Armenian leaders take 2008 Peace and Sport Award

Turkish and Armenian presidents were awarded for a peace and sports prize for their landmark meeting in September.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul and his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan were awarded in the International Peace and Sport Forum’s 2008 session in Monaco for their landmark meeting in Yerevan in September.

Gul and Sargsyan were awarded for a photograph of the historic handshake during the qualifying match for the Football World Cup between Turkey and Armenia.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties and their border has been closed for more than a decade, as Armenia presses the international community to admit the so-called “genocide” claims instead of accepting Turkey’s call to investigate the allegations, and Armenia’s invasion of 20 percent territory of Azerbaijan.

A warmer period began the two countries began after Turkish President Abdullah Gul paid a landmark visit to Yerevan in September on the occasion of a Turkish-Armenian World Cup football qualifying match.

“Thanks to football, this moment marked the end of nearly two decades of diplomatic silence”, the organization said on its website.
H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco presented the award jointly to Mahmut Ozgener, President of the Turkish Football Federation, and to Armen Grigorian, Armenian Minister of Youth and Sport, who exchanged long greetings on stage.

HURRIYET