EU To Meet Over Turkey Migrant Deal

European leaders are to discuss measures to ease the region’s migration crisis, with Turkey the focus of their efforts in Brussels.

Nearly 600,000 migrants have reached the EU by sea so far this year, most via Turkey, says the International Organization for Migration.

Turkey is thought to be hosting some two million migrants, most of them fleeing the war in neighbouring Syria.

The 28 EU leaders are seeking closer co-operation with Turkey.

They are keen for the Turkish government to sign up to a joint action plan that includes:

– Greater financial and procedural support for Turkey to deal with migrants
– Gaining permission from Turkey to help patrol its coastline
– Combating people smuggling
– Strengthening return operations

In exchange, Turkey would undertake various measures including implementing asylum procedures and giving priority to “the opening of the six refugee reception centres built with the EU co-funding”.

The Turkish government, however, is expected to press for more rapid progress towards visa-free travel for its citizens to European countries that have abolished border controls within the so-called Schengen area.

European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans travelled to Turkey on Wednesday to discuss the migrant crisis. “The EU needs Turkey and Turkey needs the EU,” he said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected in the Turkish capital Ankara for more talks at the weekend.

BBC

Posted by Editor on October 15, 2015. Filed under World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry