Nov 4 Regional

تركيا تتوقع ازالة الالغام عند الحدود مع سوريا في 5 سنوات
Turkey expects the removal of mines on the border with Syria in 5 years
http://www.aksalser.com/index.php?page=view_news&id=448c9e0c6debbc6ce093c5f198838b22&ar=529024919
Friday - November 4 - 2011 - 16:11:33

Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz today expects to remove all the mines planted in the border region with Syria in the period within five years the exploitation of this region in development projects.

Yilmaz said in an interview with the Committee on Budgets in the Turkish parliament that the government has developed a plan to get rid of all the mines that were planted along the international border shared with Syria in the fifties of last century, and it was about to issue a public tender in this regard.

He explained that the government will drag offers from 2012 that is cleansing the common border with Syria, 970 km of length in the next five years.

According to the minister, the project implementation had been delayed for many reasons, including failure to monitor the financial provision has in previous budgets and the successive Given the government's refusal to suggestions made by foreign companies to exploit the zone of mine for long periods compared to ensure the process of removal.

And stressed the importance of clearing mined land due to agricultural fertility and the possibility to utilize them in the zonal development projects, although he admitted the high cost of such a move and the accompanying risks to life because of aging mines planted.

Turkey had been planted along the border with Syria in the fifties of last century, tens of thousands of mines of various sizes and types to prevent the smuggling operations that were common then, as well as to reduce infiltration to the soil.

And then sought improved relations with its neighbor to clear mined areas to be used in agricultural and water projects, but development plans in this regard have been suspended or forgotten after the outbreak of the crisis in Syria and the return of tension to relations between the two countries.