Foreign Ministry: Tax Taken From Turkish Lorries Passing To Iraq Should Be Reduced To Zero

ANKARA - Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the tax, taken from Turkish lorries passing to Iraq, should be reduced to zero.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz, responding to a question regarded with the statement that ''tax, taken from Turkish lorries passing to Iraq was increased from 100 U.S. dollars to 200 U.S. dollars,'' pointed out that they received the information regarded with increase of amount, noting that both the ministry and the World Food Program, which felt uneasiness over this implementation, launched several initiatives.
Dirioz said according to the recent information, it was understood that the amount was reduced to 20 U.S. dollars, yet that it should be reduced to zero. Dirioz said, ''this amount is determined by central authority, and the same implementation and amount should be valid in all borders of the country.''
Responding to a question about the proposal of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to host a peace conference about the Middle East, Dirioz said, ''our prime minister did necessary statements in this respect. Also, as you know, we had earlier expressed readiness to host such kind of a meeting. The Prime Minister stated this in his recent talks, and prime ministers of Israel and Palestine were positive toward it.''
(AY-AÖ) 11.06.2003