Al-Baath: Two new crossings between Syria and Turkey

Syria and Turkey have agreed to increase the volume of trade exchange through opening two new gates for trade, according to the Syrian daily al-Baath in its yesterday's issue.

The paper said that preparing the new crossing gate in Tel Zewan will be completed within two months while the Turkish side will work for equipping a trade point in Nseibein near al-Qamishli making the number of Gates linking the two countries 7 along the borders.

Well-informed sources expected the last border point to be converted into a trade center between the two countries while the first crossing point to be a tourism and trade crossroad and a passage for loaded Iraqi oil, if this is agreed.

The same sources indicated that the Syrian- Turkish trade balance will be by the end of the year 1.2 billion dollars.

For its part, the Syrian daily Teshreen said that the Syrian ministry of the economy exempted Turkish clients of Syrian hotels from dealing in a foreign currency but under the condition that 25% of the bill will be paid for that. The ministry also exempted Jordanians and Iraqi clients from that law but without an added bill. A privilege which used to be limited to the Lebanese.