Turkish economy minister says Turkey has alternative transit routes other than Syria for Mideast trade

ISTANBUL (A.A) - December 7, 2011 - Turkey's economy minister has downplayed Syria's significance as a transit route for Turkish trucks carrying goods to Middle Eastern and Gulf countries, saying his country has alternative routes to ship its export items. "We have three alternative routes through Alexandria, Beirut and Iraq and possibly a fourth through the Suez Canal. And we moved yesterday evening to take advantage of these alternatives and all of a sudden the Syrian government decided to let Turkish trucks into the country," Zafer Caglayan said Wednesday. Syrian customs officials have forced Turkish truck drivers to form long queues keeping them waiting at the border gates with Turkey but on Wednesday trucks were allowed in.    "By-passing Syria is a piece of cake. But we did not to want to choose that path. We want to use Syria as a transit route and allow Syrian economy to make money out of it," Caglayan said.