Football as a Litmus Test for Peace
As negotiations to resolve the Karabakh conflict continue in France, the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan now threatens to spill over onto the football pitch. With both countries in the same group for the 2008 Europe Championship qualifying tournament, this is both a recipe for disaster and a perfect illustration why regional and European integration will not occur while the Karbakh conflict remains unresolved.
New Neighbors explains more.
William Gallass, a Spokesman for the European football association UEFA, expressed an opinion that the football federations of Armenia and Azerbaijan should arrange themselves the place for the qualifying matches of the 2008 Europe Championship.
[…]
Gogi Kavtaradze, Vice-President of the Football Federation of Georgia, stated about the possibility of holding the matches between the national teams of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Tbilisi. The Azerbaijani AzTV state channel quoted him as saying that given the tension between these two countries, the necessity of holding the match in a neutral stadium was growing. The Football Federation of Georgia intended to address officially its proposal of holding the matches in Tbilisi to the relevant football structures of both sides.
[…]
For the moment, it is difficult to say with certainty which of these variants is the most acceptable. Of course, it would be nice if the sides were able to provide each other with guarantees of security and hold the matches in Baku and Yerevan. On the other hand, we should understand that there are objective problems hampering the realization of that variant.
The most substantial of them is the atmosphere of mutual tension existing in both countries. In these circumstances, it is not excluded that the decision to play in Yerevan and Baku, made out of best intentions, will even more escalate this tension and lead to an absolutely different result.
The variant proposed by Georgia seems to be the best one at the moment. Will Georgia be able to ensure an absolute security? We must take into account that there will be a big flow of supporters from the neighboring Azerbaijan and Armenia, which could result in clashes.
[…]
Anyhow, the drawing of lots of the European Championship gave Armenia and Azerbaijan a historic opportunity to play either for peace and conciliation, or for hatred.
[…]
If in fact a substantial progress is possible in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict in 2006, then it is not excluded that the above-mentioned could become the first public sensitive step.
However, if the conflict goes on to remain frozen, and the hatred keeps being deep, then one should expect before the football match an escalation of the tension, a new motive for hostility.
The full story, made more poignant by the Paris peace talks, is here.
This still sounds like trouble to me. The matches in Baku and Yerevan sound like a great idea, but seems like too much too soon, especially when they could have tested the water on neutral ground first. I mean, say Azerbaijan wins in Yerevan and Armenia wins in Baku. It has the potential to turn into bloodshed.
A1 Plus | 13:39:02 | 13-02-2006 | Sports |
AZERBAIJAN TRIES TO AVOID THE YEREVAN MATCH
As we have already informed, the schedule of the “Euro-2008” first group has been decided in Brussels. According to it, Armenia and Azerbaijan will play in September 2007. UEFA has mentioned several times that the matches must take place in Yerevan and Baku, but the Azeri side does not was to accept the decision and continues to spread false information. {BR}
In particular, today the Azeri day.az website spread information about the preliminary agreement of the Armenian and Azeri Football Federations to hold the matches in a neutral field. The press Secretary of the AFF Arayik Manoukyan informed “A1+” that the information was false, as no such agreement has been reached, and the Armenian side has announced many times that the matches must take place in Yerevan and Baku.
The same website also informs that during the discussion in Brussels UEFA did not refer to the matches between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, at the very beginning of the discussion the UEFA representatives mentioned that the national teams must play in their own countries and that the neutral field option is excluded. It is clearly mentioned in the UEFA regulations that the Football Federations have to accept the guests properly and guarantee their security.
According to the schedule, the first match will take place in Baku which is favorable for Armenia.
http://www.a1plus.am/eng/?go=print&id=35852
Comment by Onnik — February 14, 2006 @ 12:00 pm