"Armenian President made a courageous step by inviting Abdullah Gul to Armenia", said Matthew Bryza, US Deputy Assistance Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.

“Certainly, I can’t speak on behalf of Turkish President or government but the US hopes that Abdullah Gul will take this golden opportunity,” Bryza said, RFE/RL reports.

In a sign of readiness to normalize ties, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan proposed "a fresh start" in relations with Turkey in an article published in The Wall Street Journal earlier this month. Sargsyan also invited Gul to a World Cup qualifying match between Armenian and Turkish teams in September. Turkish officials say the invitation is still under consideration and that the president will decide according to developments.

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