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YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS. Turkey’s former President Abdullah Gül’s visit to Armenia in 2008 was not welcome by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. As Armenpress reports citing the periodical “Agos” of Istanbul, this was informed by Gül’s councilor Ahmet Sever whose book “12 Years with Abdullah Gül” was published lately.
During one of the Turkish TV programs Sever told the details of the Armenian-Turkish football diplomacy which were not published previously. Reflecting upon Gül’s visit to Yerevan, Sever mentioned, “The Prime Minister of that period Tayyip Erdoğan pointed to Ilker Bashbugh, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces during a reception, telling one of Mr. Gül’s councilors: “He is also against leaving for Armenia.” Anyway, though Gül had remained alone, he left for Armenia and that process marked the start of signing the resolutions”.