No cap on Anzac visitors for Gallipoli commemoration

New Zealanders and Australians will not be restricted from visiting Anzac Cove on April 25, the Turkish official charged with ensuring the security of the commemorations says.

Each year thousands of young Anzacs trek to Turkey to see the beaches their grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought on. There they are joined by thousands of Turks, and watched over by a strong security presence. There has been concern in recent years that Anzac Cove is too small to cope with the annual influx of visitors, and controversy broke out after facilities at the historic site were upgraded, potentially damaging heritage features.

However, superintendent Mustafa Bal, head of Turkey's Protection Department - which as well as protecting embassies, airports and government buildings also supervises security at Gallipoli - said yesterday that numbers were not an issue as far as he was concerned.

"We have not discussed bringing in any limitations on the number of people who can come to the commemorations. That has never been an issue in terms of security arrangements. We are not planning anything like that," Mr Bal said.

"Each year the number of people who will come via airlines and so on, we already know that number in advance so in that respect we can take any necessary measures in advance. Our security forces are very experienced at this and have conducted these ceremonies for a long time."

Turkish, Australian and New Zealand security officials meet every year to discuss and review security planning for the Anzac ceremonies, talks which have resulted in initiatives such as the banning of alcohol from the site.

Mr Bal said he did not believe the Anzac ceremonies were a terrorist target.