Istanbul - Armenian President Serge Sarkisian will attend Wednesday's World Cup qualifying match between Turkey and Armenia in Bursa, Turkey, Turkey's semi-official Anatolian agency reported Monday.

Turkey and Armenia last Saturday signed a set of protocols in Switzerland which pave the way for restoring relations between the two countries. But there was still some doubt if Sarkisian would attend the game.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul last year travelled to Armenia for a previous match between the two teams, a visit that was hailed as the start of Turkey and Armenia's "football diplomacy."

A reciprocal visit by Sarkisian is being viewed as an important symoblic gesture that the reconciliation process between the two countries is continuing.

"Providing nothing extraordinary happens in these two days, I will go to Bursa and support my favorite team," Sarkisian told reporters in Yerevan, according to the Anatolia news agency. "I see no serious basis not to accept this invitation."

Ankara and Yerevan broke off relations in 1993 when Turkey closed its border with Armenia after it invaded the Azerbaijan territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Although the protocols signed between Ankara and Yerevan do not link the opening of their closed borders to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a televised speech on Sunday suggested the two are connected.

"We want all conflicts to be resolved and we want all borders to be opened at the same time," Erdogan said. "(But) as long as Armenia does not withdraw from occupied territories in Azerbaijan, Turkey cannot take up a positive position."

"If problems between Azerbaijan and Armenia are resolved the public would more easily accept Turkish-Armenian relations. Approval in the Turkish National Assembly would be so much easier," he said. (dpa)