15 THOUSAND AZERBAIJANI FLAGS FOR TURKEY-ARMENIA MATCH

Thursday, 08 October 2009 08:24

Bursa-based Turkish non-governmental organizations prepare 15 thousand Azerbaijani flags in sign of support to Azerbaijan before the football match between Turkish and Armenian national teams on October 14.

Representative of the Kamu Sen Trade Union in Bursa Selcuk Turkoglu said that they had a democratic right to support Azerbaijan. “President Abdullah Gul watched the first match in Armenia. Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan was invited to Turkey to watch return game. Sargsyan's statement that he will visit Turkey only in the case of opening the borders caused serious protest among the public community. We are against the mixing of sport with politics. The people seriously supported our signature campaign “We don't want to see Sargsyan in Bursa!“

Turkoglu said all over the world would watch this game and therefore they intended to use this game to inform the international community about the injustice against Azerbaijan. “It will be meaningful to support the Turkey's national team with the Azerbaijan's national flags. We understand sensibility of our government officials. We don't want to damage the image of our country. But we are one nation and two states with Azerbaijani people. We don't make difference between the flags of the two countries. We don't understand the decision not to allow Azerbaijani flags at the stadium. The people have a right to talk about their pains. There are thousands of Azerbaijanis in Bursa. There is nothing normal to defend own rights and therefore our non-governmental organizations intend to support the brother country with its flags.“

Bursa Governor Shahabaddin Harput said only Turkey's flags would be brought to the stadium.

HULUSI KILIC COMMENTS ON BAN ON AZERBAIJANI FLAG IN BURSA ATATURK STADIUM

Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic commented on reports about a ban on Azerbaijani flag during the Turkey-Armenia football match to take place in Bursa, Turkey on Oct. 14.

The ambassador denied the reports and said he believed the flags of both Turkey and Azerbaijan would be brought to the stadium.

“I don't see any obstacle to that. This is a football match and there is no political issue.“

The ambassador said his country always supported Azerbaijan and there was no problem for Azerbaijani and Turkish flags to wave together.