ANKARA
Germany's national assembly, Bundestag, is expected to hold a voting on deployment of air-defense missile batteries in Turkey against possible threat from Syria, German sources familiar to matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Anadolu Agency.
The deployment of two Patriot batteries along with an estimated 400 German soldiers along Turkey's border with Syria got a green light last week from the German Cabinet as part of a NATO request to help Ankara boost its air-defense capabilities to shoot down any missiles which might be fired from across the Syrian border.
The missile deployment is expected to receive the backing of a broad majority of German lawmakers, sources said, adding the batteries would have arrived in Turkey in the first few days of 2013.
Sources said the cost of the deployment of the batteries and the soldiers is expected at around 25 million euros and it will be covered entirely by the German government.
Sources said the batteries will be transported either by air or sea, but a decision on the way of shipment has yet to be decided.
