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Ferro-chrome factory at Yumurtalik 
On 6 July 1989, Turkish television announced that a huge deposit of chrome 
ore had been found in the Taurus Mountains near Adana. The amount is 
three times greater than the combined total of all other known deposits in 
Turkey. It was also said that a hugh ferro-chrome plant would be built at 
Yumurtalik. The town is on the edge of the Ceyhan Delta which is of 
international importance being listed in Important Bird Areas in Europe . 
While the exact location of the factory is unknown, DKHD has expressed 
concern because the Yumurtalik lagoons are important for migrating waders 
and the beaches are important for nesting turtles. 
It is hoped that a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be made 
so that the development can take place without damage to the natural 
environment. Turkey is keen to join the European Community. If it were a 
member, an EIA would be a requirement before development took place. 
Conservation and religion 
According to the April - June 1989 issue of 'The New Road', the World Wide 
Fund for Nature's bulletin on conservation and religion, the problems of 
environmental pollution in Turkey are being tackled through the Mosques. 
A team led by Professor Kriton Curi , head of the Pollution Control 
Research Group at the Bosphorus University have run trials in which they 
convinced local imams that waste management for the sake of the 
environment was fully in accord with Islamic teachings. This concept was 
shared with the faithful at Friday prayers and was followed by a dramatic 
improvement in waste management in the area. The trials are now being 
extended to other areas. 
UAE and trade in endangered species 
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has 
become increasingly well known in recent years as more countries have 
joined. At present, there are 103 countries that are party to the 
Convention. It has recently come to our attention that the United Arab 
Emirates is the only country to have withdrawn from CITES. The UAE became 
a party to CITES in July 1975, but made little or no effort to implement 
the Convention. So great was the trade in illegal species through the UAE 
that the CITES Secretariat urged a ban on all trade with the UAE in 
November 1985 until such time that the UAE took adequate steps to 
implement CITES. Instead of implementing CITES the UAE announced its 
intention to withdraw from CITES in January 1987 and this became effective 
on 27 January 1988. 
