zone Archives

Armenian government sets up Meghri free economic zone company

August 3, 2017 by administrator

YEREVAN, August 3. /ARKA/. The government of Armenia decided today to establish a state-owned closed joint-stock company – Meghri Free Economic Zone. The company’s authorized capital is 50,000 drams (less than $100). The company is created to ensure the establishment and operation of the free economic zone.

The free economic zone in the southern Armenian Meghri, near the border with Iran is estimated to cost $32 million, of which $28 million are capital expenditure. It is said to create 2,500 new jobs and increase Armenian exports by 30%.

According to the government, the main purpose of the free economic zone is to help boost trade and economic relations with Iran and other countries of the region, help the development of the southern Armenian province of Syunik, as well as position Armenia as a link between Iran and members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Georgia.

About 120 foreign companies will be hosted by the free economic zone, which are expected to invest a total of $350-400 million. This in turn will allow exporting $100 million worth products annually.

Syria safe zones hit by clashes on first day

May 7, 2017 by administrator

Syrian government forces and rebels clashed in the north-western province of Hama on Friday shortly after a Russian-led deal to establish safe zones took effect, a monitor and a rebel official said, according to The Guardian.

The zones, agreed to by Russia, Turkey and Iran, went into effect at midnight on Friday. The plan’s details will be worked out over the next few weeks but the zones appear intended to halt conflict in specific areas between government forces and rebels, and would potentially be policed by foreign troops.

Fighter jets fired at the rebel-held village of al-Zalakiyat and nearby positions in the Hama countryside, where the combatants exchanged shelling, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Britain-based war monitoring group said government forces shelled the nearby towns of Kafr Zita and Latamneh. There was no immediate comment from the Syrian army.

The source reminds, the de-escalation zones are the latest international attempt to reduce violence in the war-ravaged country, and represent the first effort to envisage armed foreign monitors on the ground in Syria.

Turkey is now full fledged war against Kurdish population Number of ‘Special Security Zones’ in Turkey now exceeds 100

August 19, 2015 by administrator

Around 250 villagers built up tents at the foot of Ağrı Mountain to protest Special Security Zones put in place there on Aug. 6. (Photo: DHA)

The number of “Special Security Zones” — a new name for the infamous Emergency Rule Regions (OHAL) of the 1990s — in Turkey’s east and southeast is now over 100, media outlets reported on Wednesday. report Zaman

According to the Habertürk daily, the security forces have declared 21 areas in the Silvan, Lice and Kulp districts of Diyarbakır province as Special Security Zones until Sept. 5, while the Ağrı and Tendürek areas were declared as such for the period Aug. 2-17.

Other areas declared Special Security Zones in east and southeast Turkey are the Şenkaya district of Erzurum province; the Nusaybin, Kızıltepe and Mazıdağı districts of Mardin province; the Yüksekova district of Hakkari province; areas between the Köprübaşı border gate and Karkamış district in Gaziantep province; areas between the Yağmuralan-Tatlıca highway, the Öncül-Arıcandere highway and the Esentepe military outpost-Ziyaret military outpost highway in Şanlıurfa province; the Ovacık, Nazımiye, Çemişgezek, Hozat and Mazgirt districts of Tunceli province; the Uludere and Cizre districts of Şırnak province; and the Pervari and Eruh districts of Siirt province.

Meanwhile, five areas in Şırnak have been declared temporary “Military Security Zones” for six months by a Cabinet decision. Law No. 2565 on Military Forbidden Zones and Security Zones provides for the establishment of two types of security zones — Military Security Zones and Special Security Zones.

After a suicide bombing in Suruç in Şanlıurfa province killed 33 activists and injured 100 more on July 20, clashes involving the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have grown in number. Two police officers were killed by PKK members on July 22 in retaliation for Turkish authorities’ perceived failure to prevent the Suruç attack. The violence and PKK-led attacks further escalated when Turkey carried out air strikes on PKK bases in neighboring Iraq. More than 45 Turkish security personnel have been killed in PKK attacks or clashes with the terrorist organization.

The OHAL period lasted for 15 years in southeast Turkey during the 1980s and 1990s, when the Turkish security forces implemented tough security measures to fight against the PKK in the region. The period was also marked by human rights violations of the Kurdish population in the area, leading to the period being considered a dark era of recent Turkish history. Thousands of individuals were abducted or fell victim to unsolved murders for political reasons.