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28 June 2011 - 11:41 AMT

Armenia, Azerbaijan to be separated in 2014 World Cup qualifiers

FIFA is trying to limit political clashes in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers by separating Russia-Georgia and Armenia-Azerbaijan in the European draw.

The governing body says it honored a request by European soccer authorities to keep the former warring neighbors apart when qualifying groups are drawn July 30 in Rio de Janeiro. The teams were also kept separate in the 2012 European Championship qualifiers.

FIFA says UEFA was the only one of its six continental confederations to make special requests, AP reported.