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General News of Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Source: Kojo Frimpong

Ghana's seized Gold: What the Mehr News Agency Reported

On January 19, 2013 the Mehr News Agency, an Iranian website reported the seizure of a Turkish cargo plane carrying Gold from Ghana bound for Iran.

The Airbus-A300 F type cargo plane belonging to a Istanbul-based cargo airline made an emergency landing at Ataturk Airport on January 1 for refuelling.

See the full Report Below:

Turkey lifts ban on Iranian gold cargo plane

TEHRAN, Jan. 19 (MNA –Turkey has reportedly lifted ban on a Turkish cargo plane carrying Ghana’s commitments to Iran in gold, which had been locked up for lacking proper documents.

Reports said that Turkish authorities fined the plane $ 1910 for stopping at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport on the ground of missing documents. It was carrying Ghana’s 1.5 tons of gold to Iran as Ghana’s financial commitments to Iran.

Anatolia News Agency, Turkish official news agency had it that ULS, the cargo owner would pay $ 67 for missing documents and $ 1910 for stopping at Ata Turk Airport.

The cargo was bound for Iran to deliver the gold to Iran. It was to stop at Dubai airport.

US and EU sanctions on Iranian banking sector have limited bank payments of countries monetary commitments to Iran and they barter gold for Iranian oil and gas.

Erdogan government’s behavior reveals that Turkey’s claim to independently make decisions is no longer credible, and it prefers western interests to friendship with neighboring countries.

Iran supplies 45 percent of Turkish oil and gas demands, and it pays its commitments in gold barter.

17 days ago, Turkey locked up the Cargo plane for missing documents. It is not clear why Turkey has fined it instead of paying compensation for stopping the cargo for 17 days.