Speaking to Germany's lower house of parliament Thursday, she said Turkey is a key transit point for most migrants moving west. She said Europe and Turkey must work together to improve conditions in the places where the migrants originate.
Merkel is to attend a European Union leaders' summit in Brussels Thursday where they will discuss the migrant crisis.
Last Saturday during talks with European Union partners, Greece pledged to open five migrant processing centers. Like Turkey, Greece is on the path for many migrants seeking to leave the Middle East and north Africa for better prospects in western Europe.
Greece's first so-called “hotspot” reception center is expected to open within days in Mitilini of the island of Lesbos.
Last week, the United Nations Refugee Agency welcomed EU efforts to support frontline member states receiving large numbers of migrants, but warned states not to turn “hotspots” into “detention centers in disguise.”
The wave of migrant and refugees continues, with hundreds taking the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea every day.
The 15-member U.N. Security Council has voted to authorize the European Union and other nations to board, search and seize vessels suspected of human trafficking in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya.
[Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.]
voanews.com
15/10/15
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Turkey seeks EU cash, visas, for help on refugee crisis...
ReplyDeleteTurkey demanded on Thursday that the European Union start easing restrictions on Turks traveling to the EU next year if it wants cooperation to stem the flow of Syrian refugees and other migrants to Europe.
As EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss making concessions to Turkey in return for help with Europe's migration crisis, EU sources said Turkish ministers asked EU negotiators in Ankara for 3 billion euros ($3.41 billion) in financial aid and a broadening of long-running talks on eventual Turkish membership of the bloc.
Turkey was also seeking more high-level political dialogue with invitations for President Tayyip Erdogan to summits after an ice-breaking visit he made to Brussels earlier this month.
EU diplomats said an existing plan to ease visa requirements for Turks could be speeded up, but only if Ankara met the technical conditions, and that member states were prepared to discuss further funding, although on a more modest scale.
Requests for Turkey to be put on a list of "safe countries", whose nationals would not normally be granted asylum in Europe, broader accession talks and more EU-Turkey summits could find support, they said.
Turkey and delegates from the European Commission in Ankara were "close to finalizing" agreement on a joint action plan they hope will improve conditions for the more than 2 million Syrians in Turkey to encourage them to stay, EU officials said.
The plan also envisages cooperation on border patrols and fighting people-smugglers.........reuters.com