ANKARA, Jan 21 (A.A) - As Saudi Arabia demolished the Ottoman-era al-Ajyad Fort in Mecca, Libyan leader Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi, called on Turkey to repair Turkish barracks in Benghazi jointly.
Libyan administration at first decided to demolish the Berka barracks, which had been started to be constructed in the last quarter of 19th century, and which now faces the danger of demolition, but later Libya called on financial support from Turkey upon the directives of Qadhafi ''let us repair it together.''
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem personally launched initiatives at the Finance Ministry upon the request of Libya. A total of five million U.S. dollars financial resource is needed for the repair of the barracks.
The Berka Barracks, which had witnessed very violent attacks when Italians attacked Libya, is important for the Libyans as it became a symbol of resistance of Libyans against the attackers.
Libya wants the barracks to be turned into a museum after the repair.
Repair of the barracks had been decided when Foreign Minister Ismail Cem met Abd Al-Rahman Shalgam, the Secretary of the Gen. People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation, during the U.N. Security Council meeting held in New York last year.
Turgut Reis tomb, one of the Ottoman era works of arts in Libya, also wait for repair.