Syria not permitting entrance of Turkish trucks for 5 days at Babel Hawa Border Gate, says Sanverdi of International Transporters

REYHANLI (A.A) - December 5, 2011 - A member of the Executive Board of the International Transporters Association (UND), Hamit Sanverdi, said Monday that Syria did not permit the entrance of Turkish trucks at the Babel Hawas Border Gate for the past five days claiming that they were updating the computer systems. In an exclusive interview with the AA, Sanverdi said that the Syrians began working on their computer systems on December 1, the day when Syrian officials suspended a free trade agreement between Turkey and Syria. The Syrians have been working on their computer systems for the past five days. They are not letting any truck with a Turkish license plate enter Syria, Sanverdi stressed. There is a similar practice at all other Syrian border gates. Many Turkish trucks in Jordan are currently waiting at the Syrian border and they can not enter Syria from Jordan, Sanverdi underlined. Around 700 trucks are waiting at the Babel Hawa Border Gate. The delays at the border have caused material losses, Sanverdi said. The Syrians are telling us to wait. Many boxes of fruits, vegetables and food items have been spoiled in the trucks due to long periods of wait, Sanverdi said. There is no problem at the Cilvegozu Border Gate in Turkey. All Syrian trucks can enter Turkey and travel freely, Sanverdi said. A truck driver, Metin Basdogan (55), has told the AA that he has been waiting at the border for the past 5 days. "The Syrians claim that they have problems with their computer systems. The dairy products in my truck have been completely spoiled while waiting for 5 days," Basdogan said.