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Turkey: Hazardous cargo transits Bosporous Straits hourly

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, January 17, 2005

ANKARA – Turkey has warned of a heightened security risk in the Bosphorus Straits.

Officials said increased shipping through the Turkish Straits has made them dangerously overcrowded.

"Each minute, 7-8 ships pass through the Bosporus, and one ship with hazardous cargo does so every 50-55 minutes," Turkish Naval Forces commander Adm. Ozden Ornek said. "The increased traffic in the straits is worrying us."

[On Saturday, Turkey reported a clash between security forces and insurgents in which seven people were killed, Middle East Newsline reported. A government statement said two soldiers and five Maoist insurgents were killed in a gun battle in the eastern province of Tunceli.]

Ornek said that during the first eight months of last year 100 million tons of oil were transported through the Turkish Straits. By the end of 2004, this figure was expected to reach 150 million tons, or 9,300 ships. Istanbul, a city of 13 million, is located along the straits.



"Even optimistic estimates show an 11 percent increase in the number of ships and a 16 percent increase in the transportation of dangerous cargo," Ornek said.

The commander urged alternative transportation to ease overcrowding in the Bosphorous. They include the use of pipelines to transport crude oil.

In November 2004, Russia filed a complaint with the International Maritime Organization that accused Turkish authorities of blocking Russian ships from moving through the Bosphorus. Turkish officials responded that Ankara had exercised its right to defend the straits.


Copyright © 2005 East West Services, Inc.

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