Monday, February 8, 2016

Turkey, Germany to take joint diplomatic initiative to stop refugee crisis. - They would seek the use of NATO's observation capabilities

Turkey and Germany agreed on Monday to cooperate closely and take a set of measures to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis including a joint diplomatic initiative that seeks more NATO involvement, as well as aiming to halt attacks particularly by Russia in Syria's largest city Aleppo.

Russian air strikes north of Aleppo are causing an exodus of thousands of Syrians to Turkey's border. German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid a one-day visit to Turkey on Monday to discuss the refugee crisis. Merkel met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.

In a joint press conference with Merkel, Davutoğlu said around 30,000 Syrians had arrived at the Turkish border after fleeing Russian air strikes in the north of Aleppo, adding, “We are on the verge of another humanitarian crisis.” He said Turkey and Germany have agreed on a set of steps to halt the flow of refugees from Syria, including stopping the onslaught in Aleppo.


  • Davutoğlu also stressed that Turkey and Germany would also carry out “joint efforts” to bring about greater NATO involvement in the refugee issues. He said they would seek the use of NATO's observation capabilities at the border with Syria and the Aegean Sea, adding that Aleppo is de facto under siege.

Turkey will admit the 30,000 people fleeing war-torn Syria who have amassed at the border "when necessary," Davutoğlu said, adding Russia's air assaults should not be tolerated based on the idea that Turkey will accept the refugees. The latest developments in Syria are an attempt to pressure Turkey and Europe on the migration issue, the Turkish prime minister said.

He also said that Turkey would inform Brussels next week on the initial projects it has planned after receiving 3 billion euros in funds from the EU aimed at curbing record flows of migrants to Europe via Turkey, where 2.2 million Syrians are already sheltering.

During the press conference, Merkel criticized the Russian air strikes in Syria, recalling a UN resolution passed in December that calls on all sides to halt without delay attacks on civilians. She said she was “horrified” by the suffering of thousands of civilians in Syria due to the Russian bombing campaign, adding that under these circumstances, it is hard to hold peace talks for Syria.

The German chancellor also said a delegation from a German aid organization will cooperate with Turkish aid organizations to meet the needs of refugees in Turkey. Merkel stressed the importance of stopping human traffickers in cooperation with Turkey and other European countries' law enforcement officials and that only 45 percent of the refugees in Greece are actually from Syria. She said Europe wants to share the burden with Turkey on the refugee crisis.

Turkey agreed in November to fight smuggling networks and help curb irregular migration. In return, the EU has pledged 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) to help improve the condition of refugees and to grant political concessions to Turkey, including an easing of visa restrictions and the fast-tracking of its EU membership application.

Turkey has since started to require Syrians arriving from third countries to apply for visas in a bid to exclude those who aim to continue on to Greece. Turkey has also agreed to grant work permits to Syrians as an incentive for them to stay in the country and has announced plans to increase coast guards' capabilities and designate human smuggling as a form of organized crime, which would bring stiffer punishments.

When asked about whether more funds to Turkey will be forthcoming, Merkel said additional funds would be considered after the initial 3 billion euros have been spent on the refugees...
  [todayszaman.com]
8/2/16
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1 comment:

  1. Turkey and Germany will ask NATO to help police the Turkish coast and stop traffickers from sending migrants on dangerous sea journeys, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday...

    "We will use the NATO defense ministers' meeting (from Wednesday) to talk about the situation in Syria as well as whether and to what extent NATO can help in monitoring the situation at sea and lend support to Frontex and Turkish coastguards," she said after talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
    AFP

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