Erdogan wants to update the 2016 immigration agreement to receive more resources from the European Union.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and France’s President Emmanuel Macron will meet him in Istanbul on March 17 to discuss the migration crisis generated by the Syrian war and the announcement that Turkey will not prevent refugees cross into the European Union (EU).
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“Merkel and Macron will come to Istanbul,” Erdogan said and added that he agreed with the EU leaders a consultation process to clarify how the 2016 EU immigration agreement is being applied
According to this international deal, Turkey undertook to keep asylum seekers in its territory if the EU gave the Turkish government about 6,000 million euros to pay for the expenses.
“The EU agrees that Turkey has fulfilled its obligations and that the EU is moving slowly. We will make a joint effort to accelerate this process. Political and technical teams will create a road map,” Erdogan said.
#Erdogan visit in #Brussels: #migrants are not a bargaining chip to be used by #Turkey to put more pressure on the #EU and extend the already flawed 2016 deal. Human rights violations and violence at all #borders must stop! @EuroMed Rights’ position: http://bit.ly/2vq3iqf Refugees must not be used as bargaining chips! – EuroMed RightsRefugees are currently being used as pawns in the global power play surrounding the war in Syria.euromedrights.org114:40 PM – Mar 9, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacySee EuroMed Rights’s other Tweets
“This work will deliver its first fruits at the summit of EU leaders on March 26,” he added referring to the European Council to be held on March 26 in Brussels.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu previously indicated that his country wants to update the immigration agreement with the EU to adapt it to the current situation of the conflict in Syria.
“We can start a new process with the EU. Energy, fight against terrorism, the refugee crisis and security, we need cooperation and solidarity in all areas,” Erdogan said.
In the last ten days, contacts between Ankara and Brussels have intensified as Erdogan complained about the lack of EU support in its military presence in the Syrian region of Idlib.
