Land Mines On Border Between Turkey And Syria Will Be Swept At Certain Periods

GAZIANTEP - Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said on Monday that land mines on border between Turkey and Syria would be swept at certain periods.
Gonul, who is currently in southeastern province of Gaziantep, told the A.A correspondent that the government attached great importance to the issue of sweeping mines.
''Land Forces Command made a search on how mines will be swept. Companies in the world that deal with sweeping mines was searched. Mines will not be swept by a machine of a company. We will buy 16 machines from three separate companies and mines will be swept,'' he noted.
Stating that there are some problems in regard with sweeping mines, as maps of mines have been lost and location of mines has changed due to land movements, Gonul said that three machines will be bought first and they will start to sweep mines in Nusaybin town of southeastern Mardin province soon.
Gonul said, ''when mines are cleared in Nusaybin, Turkish Petroleum Corp. (TPAO) will start to search for oil and the fields will be opened to organic culture. Syria is also searching for oil in border city Kamisli.''
(EÖ-AÖ) 22.03.2004