The talks are also expected to focus on the prospects for accelerating Turkey’s European integration.
For Ankara, which has received more than 2 million Syrians during the Syrian conflict, the issue of refugees tops the agenda and considerably affects the political situation.
- The country has spent more than $7 billion of budget funds to accommodate the migrants, getting from international organisations only about $400 million assistance - about half of the funds was provided by the European Union.
Erdogan intends to discuss the progress of negotiations on Turkey’s accession to the EU. Turkey is an official candidate for EU membership and started negotiations on this issue back in 2005, but over the decade has practically not become closer to joining the community.
Erdogan today has a chance to conduct dialogue with Brussels from the position of strength, using Europe’s heavy dependence on Turkey on the migration dossier. At the same time Ankara at least over the past year has noticeably cooled down to the idea of European integration. Today it is going to make the European Union take concrete steps.
First of all, Turkey is interested in cancelling the visa regime with the European Union. It can promise in return to intensify the implementation of the readmission agreement with regard to Syrian refugees, as well as tighten control over their migration to the EU via Turkish territory.
[tass.ru]
5/10/15
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Turkey's Erdogan mocks EU migrant efforts on eve of visit...
ReplyDeleteTurkish President Tayyip Erdogan appeared to mock European Union overtures for help with its migration crisis as he arrived for a long-awaited state visit to Brussels and a string of meetings with EU leaders set to start on Monday.
Erdogan, preparing for Nov. 1 parliamentary elections, boasted of Turkey's record in taking 2 million refugees from neighboring Syria and Iraq, and contrasted it with the numbers passing through the bloc, in speeches to supporters.
"Europe is uncomfortable with even the smallest refugee flow," he told a mass rally in Strasbourg, before flying on to Brussels late on Sunday and addressing another crowd from an open-top bus outside his hotel.
"What do they say to us? ... 'Oh my, don't open your doors, don't let them reach us. They should stay with you,'" Erdogan added in Strasbourg, according to Hurriyet newspaper............REUTERS
Germany faces 1.5 million asylum claims this year - report...
ReplyDeleteThe number of people seeking asylum in Germany this year will be as high as 1.5 million - almost double the previous estimate, German media report.
The German government has not confirmed the new estimate, which comes from an internal official report cited by popular daily Bild.
The report warns that services helping refugees will not be able to cope.
Separately, a centre-right regional minister put the expected total at 1.2-1.5 million for this year.
The German government previously estimated the number of asylum claims this year to reach 800,000 to one million in total.
Many are refugees fleeing the wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, but there are also many economic migrants from the Balkans, Asia and Africa......BBC
5/10/15
Turkey’s Erdoğan calls on EU to share refugee burden, calls for no-fly zones...
ReplyDeleteOnce again underlining that Turkey has struggled to cope with the mass influx of Syrian refugees over the past four years, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called on the EU to share the burden, also presenting a three-pronged formula for a lasting solution.
“We have never sent those [refugees] coming to Turkey to other countries,” Erdoğan said on Oct. 5, speaking at a joint press conference following his meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk.
He recalled that Turkey currently hosts 2.2 million refugees from Syria and 200,000 refugees from Iraq, while Europe as a whole hosts fewer than 250,000 refugees in total.
“I want to remind you once more that the reason for the refugee crisis is the war in Syria and the [Bashar] al-Assad regime, which has virtually launched a state terror,” Erdoğan said.
According to the Turkish president, three steps should be taken to deal with the ongoing migration crisis.
“[There should be a] focus on the train-equip program, the declaration of terror-free zones, and the declaration of no-fly zones,” he said.
Touching on the ongoing deadly clashes between Turkish security forces and militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which broke out after the collapse of a two-and-a-half-year de facto ceasefire in July, Erdoğan voiced his resentment over “some EU countries” without naming them.
Although the EU blacklists the PKK as a terrorist organization, “some EU members have been ignoring this,” he said, also suggesting that “black propaganda” by the PKK has been spread in Europe.
“No opportunity should be granted to efforts [by the PKK] to gain legitimacy,” Erdoğan said.
Underlining that the security forces’ fight is “not aimed at the Kurdish people,” but solely against the PKK, he also underlined links between the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria with the PKK.
“The PYD is a terrorist organization like the PKK and it is working together [with the PKK],” Erdoğan stated.
hurriyetdailynews.com
5/10/15