EU pushes back Turkey migrant deal until summit next week

European Union leaders on Monday delayed until next week a decision on a deal with Turkey to cope with the migrant crisis, after Ankara suddenly ratcheted up its demands in return for its cooperation at a summit in Brussels.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stunned his counterparts by demanding an extra $3.3 billion in aid in exchange for his country's help to counter the continent's biggest migration crisis since World War II.

He also proposed a refugee swap under which the EU would resettle one Syrian refugee from Turkey in exchange for every Syrian that Turkey takes back from the overstretched Greek islands, a move that rights groups say would be illegal.

After extending the meeting into the early hours of Tuesday to ponder the cost of Turkey's help, the EU leaders said they backed the proposal in principle but would need until the next scheduled European summit next week to deal with the controversial proposals...
 AFP - NEWZ.GR
8/3/16