Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he has invited a few European leaders for a Migration Summit in Istanbul. At the same time, he claimed that Greek security forces have “killed 4 or 5” migrants.
Speaking to journalists on his way back from Brussels where he met with top EU officials, he said that German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson are expected to visit Turkey to the Migration Summit on March 17.
He added developments in Idlib and the refugee crisis reached a new level and that the recent surge in violence caused a renewed refugee wave of nearly 1 million people.
Following this, Turkey decided to open its borders to those that want to cross to Europe and does not intent to close them again, Erdogan stressed.
Main topics discussed in Brussels on Monday were the updating of the March 18 agreement [EU-Turkey deal 2016] and the customs union, a solution to the Schengen issue, the revival of negotiations, opening of new chapters, and the fast transfer of the promised 3+3 billion euros for refugees and additional funds, he said.
He added that “lack of efficiency in the use of dialogue channels is one of the main problems between the EU and Turkey.”
Ankara has repeatedly complained that Europe has failed to keep its promises under a 2016 EU-Turkey refugee deal to help migrants and stem further migrant waves.
Turkey to reveal Greece’s maltreatment of refugees
Turkey will call Greece to account for its maltreatment of innocent refugees and will expose its actions during the U.N. General Assembly this year, Erdogan said according to Turkish media..
“Greece is not aware of international law; [Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos] Mitsotakis needs to look at the universal declaration of human rights. They need to know and accept that their treatment at the border is murderous. We will expose again the pictures of refugees stripped off their clothes this year at the U.N. General Assembly,” Erdogan said, pointing out that Greek security forces trying to hinder migrants from crossing the border recently have killed four or five people.
The president stated that in the face of the Greek demand to keep the Turkish border shut, Turkey told them that it does not consider closing it. “Greece should open its borders and let refugees go to other countries. Yet, they cannot voice this, which results in Turkey carrying all the burden. We want a fair, humanitarian and equal share of burden,” he added. (via dailysabah)
PS apart from having to prove his claim of “4” or “5 killings,” Erdogan has also to prove that the “other countries” will allow the thousands of refugees and migrants in.
