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President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan gave interview to “BBC” covering, so called, “football diplomacy” issue. Find the President’s interview to world media giant below.

The term “football diplomacy” was put into circulation a year ago, when Turkish President Abdullah Gul arrived in Yerevan at the invitation of the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, to watch the match between the national football teams of the two countries. It raised hopes that the Armenian-Turkish border could be opened and the two countries would start the process of reconciliation. However, official Yerevan accuses Turkey of freezing the process.

BBC correspondent Gabriel Gatehouse visited Yerevan one of these days to figure out whether President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia was going to attend the return match in Turkey.

Serzh Sargsyan - The question has two answers. The fist answer is as follows. It’s not important whether I’ll visit Turkey or not. I’d like to say that my visit to Turley should not be linked to the relations between the two countries. Let’s assume that Armenia freezes the negotiation process with Turkey and I leave for that country to watch the football match. The second option is as follows: the two countries continue negotiating, but I don’t attend the match. Which is more important? This is my answer if you ask the question in the context of our talks with Turkey.

BBC - what signals is Armenia expecting from Turkey in order to defreeze the talks?

Serzh Sargsyan - I will leave for Turkey only in case of opening of the border or at the threshold of the event. We have an agreement. I think that it’s normal and correct for the parties to implement the agreement reached earlier. Our wish remains the same – to establish relations without preconditions.

BBC - Is Armenia ready to make concessions as regards the events of 1915 and do You believe Turkey will call them genocide?

Serzh Sargsyan - Of course, it's very important for our people, for Turkey and the whole world. It’s important to restore historical justice. It’s important for our nations to be able to establish normal relations. At last, it’s important that it never reoccurs in the future. But we do not see the recognition of genocide as a precondition for the establishment of relations.

BBC – Hence, is there an opportunity of compromise?

Serzh Sargsyan - It cannot be called compromise. This is not the case to speak about compromises. We say, yes, there was genocide, and irrespective of the fact whether Turkey recognizes it or not, there is a fact established by all genocide scholars in the world and recognized by many countries of the world. However, today we do not view it as a precondition for normalization of relations.

BBC - But anyway that problem is an obstacle to regulate ties with Turkey. A man, with whom I have had a talk earlier in Yerevan, recommended another solution: when you drive, you should follow your back side and you look at the mirror showing the back of you but the important thing is the way in front you. How well does this example describe the current situation?

Serzh Sargsyan - Right, I can see quite well what the man wanted to say. He wants to say that we should follow our future, but we do not have the right to forget the past.

Panorama.am. It’s worth reminding that Abdullah Gul traveled to Armenia at the invitation of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, after which the two countries took initiatives to start intensive negotiations to regulate bilateral ties. In the aftermath of those negotiations “road map” has been signed and published in April of 2009, which covers definite steps to regulate ties. But Turkey adopted another policy of breaking the agreements, which the international experts and high ranking foreign officials have noted and made statements. They say that Ankara’s activities have been conditioned by the blackmail from Azerbaijan. But still, the international society is optimistic with the fact that Armenian-Turkish “football diplomacy” will be continued. In fact, today, Turkey is the only responsible figure, as official Yerevan has been announcing many times that they are ready to continue negotiations based on the previous agreements.