Unakitan: We Want To Open The Mine-planted Area To Organic Agriculture

ANKARA - Turkish Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said on Monday that they wanted to open the anti-personnel landmine-planted area in border region between Turkey and Syria to organic agriculture and lease it for long-term.
Replying to questions of journalists, Unakitan said, ''we aim to open the mine-planted area in border region between Turkey and Syria to organic agriculture. Sweeping of anti-personnel land-mines will cost about 700 million U.S. dollars. We are planning to lease the area for long-term. Those who rent the area will be responsible for sweeping of land-mines. We will hold a tender in the coming months.''
When asked whether there was a connection between signing of new stand-by deal with International Monetary Fund (IMF) and use of the Incirlik Air Base by the United States, Unakitan said that such a connection was out of question.