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04-18-2011, 03:24 PM
Istanbul could be split in two, says Turkish prime minister
Radical plan unveiled by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to cope with growing strains of city with 17 million residents
Justin Vela in Istanbul
guardian.co.uk, Monday 18 April 2011 16.28 BST
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/4/18/1303139163064/Bosphorus-bridge-007.jpg
The European and Asian sides of Istanbul across the Bosphorus strait could be
divided to make the huge conurbation easier to govern under the prime minister's proposal. Photograph: Osman Orsal/Reuters
Istanbul is renown as the place where east meets west, the only city in the world to straddle Europe and Asia. But it may soon lose this unique status if the Turkish government goes ahead with a plan to divide it in two.
The prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a former Istanbul mayor, has announced what he described as a "wild project" to split the city into European and Asian sides to make it easier to govern.
"We will build two new cities in Istanbul due to high population," Erdogan said, announcing his party's manifesto for June elections.. "One on the European side and one on the Anatolian side."
more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/18/istanbul-split-turkish-prime-minister
Radical plan unveiled by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to cope with growing strains of city with 17 million residents
Justin Vela in Istanbul
guardian.co.uk, Monday 18 April 2011 16.28 BST
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/4/18/1303139163064/Bosphorus-bridge-007.jpg
The European and Asian sides of Istanbul across the Bosphorus strait could be
divided to make the huge conurbation easier to govern under the prime minister's proposal. Photograph: Osman Orsal/Reuters
Istanbul is renown as the place where east meets west, the only city in the world to straddle Europe and Asia. But it may soon lose this unique status if the Turkish government goes ahead with a plan to divide it in two.
The prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a former Istanbul mayor, has announced what he described as a "wild project" to split the city into European and Asian sides to make it easier to govern.
"We will build two new cities in Istanbul due to high population," Erdogan said, announcing his party's manifesto for June elections.. "One on the European side and one on the Anatolian side."
more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/18/istanbul-split-turkish-prime-minister