Turkey is forming frontier troops that are to be recruited on a professional basis. They will total some 70 thousand people. The project of creation of Turkish border troops is implemented in interaction with the EU, of which Ankara seeks full membership. The implementation of the program will last till 2014 and it will cost 3 billion euros. Some 6% of the sum will be assigned by the EU. Turkey has the second biggest army in the NATO - 800 thousand people. Detachments of gendarme troops and coastguard now fulfill the function of frontier troops in the republic at present. Representatives of all force departments of Turkey, as well as France and UK took part in the working out of the project.

Modern technologies, including satellite control means, will be used to guard Turkey, which borders with Bulgaria and Greece in the west, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in the east, Iraq and Syria in the south-east. Along with the land border, Turkish frontier troops will guard marine frontiers of the country, which is surrounded with seas from three sides, reports the Zaman.