The deal, called readmission agreement, will allow the EU to repatriate the third-country nationals illegally migrating to Europe via Turkey back to Turkey.
In exchange, the EU offers a parallel track of negotiations to lift visa requirements for Turkish citizens seeking to travel to Europe.
Given the fact that visa-free travel for Turks is not a foregone conclusion, analysts worry the readmission deal may be very costly for Turkey.
"There is no official link between the readmission agreement and visa-free travel for Turks in any EU document," Kerim Balci, a foreign policy expert in Turkey, said.
He stressed that Turkey has not signed readmission agreements with all source countries that traditionally send illegal immigrants to Europe via Turkey.
"That means immigrants who were sent back to Turkey will stay here until their legal status is sorted out. This is a big legal limbo," Balci noted.
Last week, Turkish and EU officials reached a deal on the terms of the readmission and will sign the agreement on Dec. 16.
Turkey initialed the agreement in 2011 but has been hesitating to sign and ratify it, saying that the EU should start implementing visa facilitation for Turkish citizens with the eventual aim of lifting visa requirements.
On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the financial burden on repatriation of the third country nationals will be shared by both Turkey and the EU.
"In the worst case scenario, Turkey may have to take back several thousands of illegal immigrants but 76 million Turkish citizens will be able to go anywhere in Europe," he said.
Turkish analysts expressed cautious optimism on the deal, saying that readmission agreement must be part of a larger package of incentives to improve the stalled relations between Turkey and the EU.
Beril Dedeoglu, an EU expert at Istanbul-based Galatasaray University, said if Turkey is accepted one day as a member of the EU, the current negotiation process is totally meaningless.
"Signing the readmission agreement is reasonable only if Turkey will one day become an EU member; if not, Turkey will turn into the EU's dumping ground," she explained.
"There may be economic and social costs for accepting illegal immigrants from the EU," Fatma Yilmaz Elmas, an EU expert at Ankara-based International Strategic Research Organization warned, adding that "Turkey may be used as a depot for immigrants."
However, Davutoglu insisted all safeguard measures were contemplated when they agreed on the readmission deal with the EU, saying the deal envisages a three year transition period during which Turkey will not accept any immigrants from Europe.
He also underlined that if Turks do not get visa-free travel deal, Ankara may suspend the readmission agreement.
Turkey began negotiations to join the EU in 2005. But a series of political obstacles, notably the Cyprus issue, and resistance to Turkey's membership by key members including France and Germany have slowed down the progress to a snail's pace.
globaltimes.cn
8/12/13
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Turkey, EU close to inking readmission of migrants, visa deal.
- Turkey slams Eurocourt ruling over visas...
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Turkey has steered West with a strong recent focus on European Union agenda due to the failed policies that did not garner desired results in the Middle East, according to foreign diplomats.....
ReplyDeleteTurkey’s visible pragmatic return to its European Union agenda following a long-term breeze in ties with Brussels is aiming both to distract attention from poor foreign policy performance in the Middle East and to utilize the soon-to-be-signed visa deal with Brussels as part of the ruling party’s pre-election campaign, according to foreign diplomats.
“You will hear good news on Dec. 16. Turkey is launching a new process with the EU. You will hear about it on Dec. 16, I am not disclosing it now. You will be informed about it when we put our signatures on Dec. 16,” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was quoted as saying by the Anadolu Agency during his Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) rally in Kırıkkale, a town in Thrace, on Dec. 6.
The process Erdoğan heralded to the audience was the beginning of visa liberalization talks with the EU on the condition that Turkey signs the long-awaited Readmission Agreement, something already publicized by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu early last week. Both Turkish and European diplomats deem the deal very important and a historic turning point in the accession process. Turkish citizens will be able to travel visa-free to EU countries in less than three-and-half years should certain requirements be fulfilled, Davutoğlu had said.
Turkey’s return to the EU agenda will be enriched by some high-level exchange of visits in December and January. Among them most importantly is Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s projected visit to Brussels in mid-January, nearly four years after his last journey where he will meet with top EU officials, President of the European Commission Herman von Rompruy, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and President of the European Parliament Martin Schultz.
French President François Hollande’s visit to Turkey and Turkish President Abdullah Gül’s planned visit to Italy, both late January, are also seen very important in this regard. For his part, Davutoğlu will be in Athens on Dec. 13, in an important visit that comes just before Greece resumption of the EU’s term presidency on Jan. 1, 2014. Apart from Turkey’s accession process, envisioned unification talks in Cyprus will also be a very important item during the foreign minister’s visit.
“Turkey’s so-called return could only be possible after the European Commission issued a rather moderate Progress Report on Turkey despite the government’s harsh violations of human rights and democratic norms throughout the Gezi Protests,” a senior diplomat from an EU country told the Hürriyet Daily News last weekend. “We wanted to keep communication channels open with Turkey and that’s why we have seriously and sincerely applauded the Democratization Package and agreed to open the chapter on regional policies.”
Recalling that Turkey and the EU have in fact nearly accomplished technical works on the visa deal in July, EU diplomats questions whether this delay could be linked to upcoming elections. “Visa-free travel is very important for those in mostly rural areas whose family members work in Germany or other European countries. These people can hardly obtain visas comparing to professionals, businessmen and the like. It should not be a surprise if Erdoğan frequently and loudly uses this deal in his election campaign,” said a diplomat on the matter.
Around five million Turks work in European countries and they have strong bonds with their homeland. Many of their relatives have difficulties in getting visa from these countries due to concerns of illegal immigration........................http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-returns-to-eu-as-foreign-policy-fails.aspx?pageID=238&nID=59244&NewsCatID=338
9/12/13
The readmission agreement on returning third-country nationals who illegally enter the EU through Turkey will be signed on Monday...
ReplyDeleteBy Guven Ozalp
BRUSSELS (AA) – The 3.5 year target placed by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu for the visa liberalization process for Turkish citizens is realistic and the European Union (EU) is prepared to share the process' financial burden, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström told AA on Sunday.
Malmström is scheduled to attend the ceremony in Ankara on Monday during which the readmission agreement on returning third-country nationals who illegally enter the EU through Turkey will be signed. The ceremony will also mark the start of dialogue on visa liberalization for Turkish citizens.
In his statement from Brussels on December 4, Davutoglu had announced that the readmission agreement would be signed on December 16. He had also indicated that 3.5 years was the target for Turkish citizens entering the EU without visas.
“I find the 3.5 year target realistic. We have not even begun dialogue, therefore it's too early to create a concrete timetable,” Malmström said.
The financial costs have been one of the most debated issues regarding the readmisson agreement on returning the third-country nationals irregularly entering and/or residing in Turkey and EU territories.
Turkey's calculations indicate that it may cost 1.2 billion euros annually.
"It is difficult to say anything clear about cost calculations. The figures are directly related to the number of people to be readmitted,” Malmström noted.
Indicating that several different funds would be established after determining the need, she added, “we will decide in our talks with our Turkish friends whether the assistance will be monetary, technical, or humanitarian in character.”
She explained that according to the agreement, third countries' nationals who were proven to have entered the EU illegally via Turkey would have to be re-accepted by Turkey and returned to their countries.
The emerging consensus on the agreement includes strict rules and standards about proving who will be returned to Turkey and how such a process will be determined, Malmström stressed.
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/news/263149--d
15/12/13
Saudi Arabia deported over 250,000 illegal immigrants in one and half months ...
ReplyDeleteSaudi authorities deported about 250,000 illegal immigrants out of the country after a crackdown was launched six weeks ago in Saudi Arabia. This was reported on Monday by Saudi newspaper "Okaz".
At the same time, the border security forces of the Saudi Kingdom prevented illegal entry of more than 38,000 people into the country.
The operation to identify and deport illegal migrants began on the 4th of November, following which all those who did not have proper documents to stay in the country were forced to either leave or get the proper documents.
Attempts to carry out mass raids on illegal immigrants in the capital Riyadh turned violent leading to clashes between immigrants and the police.
According to officials, the number of immigrants in Saudi Arabia is about 9,000,000 people comprising mainly of workers from Asia and Africa.
Read more: http://indian.ruvr.ru/news/2013_12_23/Saudi-Arabia-deported-over-250-000-illegal-immigrants-in-one-and-half-months-7408/
23/12/13