This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34451660

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Millions more refugees could flee Syria, Turkey warns EU Migrant crisis: EU plan offers more money for Turkey camps
(about 7 hours later)
Turkey has warned the EU that millions more refugees could flee Syria as the civil war intensifies, European Council President Donald Tusk has said. The EU is offering new incentives to Turkey - including financial aid and easing of visa restrictions - for help to solve the migrant crisis.
He said Russian and Iranian engagement in Syria was making a victory for President Bashar al-Assad more likely. The European Commission said it would also "strengthen its capacity to combat migrant smuggling" off Turkey's coast.
According to Turkish estimates, it could mean another three million refugees from Aleppo and the area. The draft action plan is yet to be accepted by Turkey. It does not address some the demands made by its president.
The International Organization for Migration says it has so far had no reports of more people leaving Syria. Turkey says millions more refugees could flee the conflict in Syria due to Russian and Iranian involvement.
"Violence and increased military activity breed displacement of civilians," IOM spokesman Leonard Doyle told the BBC. European Council President Donald Tusk said earlier that, according to Ankara's estimates, three million more people could head to Europe from Aleppo and the surrounding area.
He said his organisation was currently checking the situation on the ground, adding that Mr Tusk's comments were "speculative". But the International Organization for Migration (IOM) says it has so far had no reports of more people leaving Syria, and that Mr Tusk's comments were "speculative".
In Brussels, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and EU leaders agreed to finalise an action plan with Turkey in the coming days to deal with the refugee crisis.
The draft document includes proposals for the EU to:
In exchange, Turkey would undertake various measures including implementing asylum procedures and giving priority to "the opening of the six refugee reception centres built with the EU co-funding".
'We need Turkey'
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker earlier hailed Turkey for having admitted 2.2 million Syrian refugees.
"It is clear that we need Turkey. The Commission will come to its aid," he said.
However, Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci was sceptical about the plan, according to Reuters.
His country would welcome a financial contribution from the EU to ease the strain of hosting migrants, but that funding would "not be a solution" to the crisis, Mr Zeybekci was quoted as saying.
The draft document published on Tuesday does not address demands made by President Erdogan for the creation of a safe haven and no-fly zone around Syria's northern border. Nor does it explicitly mention his calls for Turkey's EU membership process to move ahead more quickly.
In other developments:In other developments:
Can Turkey help solve EU migrant crisis?Can Turkey help solve EU migrant crisis?
What is the next route through Europe?What is the next route through Europe?
How is migrant crisis dividing EU countries?How is migrant crisis dividing EU countries?
EU migration: Crisis in graphicsEU migration: Crisis in graphics
'We need Turkey' Russia began its air strikes in Syria on 30 September, saying it was targeting Islamic State (IS) militants at the request of President Bashar al-Assad's government.
Addressing the European parliament on Tuesday, Mr Tusk said: "During my visits to the region whoever I spoke to - presidents or refugees in the camps - in Turkey, Jordan, or Egypt warned me against one thing: a potential victory of Assad's regime - more likely today because of Russia's and Iran's engagement in Syria - will result in the next migratory wave. The West says Russia is also hitting non-IS rebels - a claim denied by the Kremlin. There have been reports that a number of Syrian civilians have been killed in the Russian strikes.
"Yesterday, this message was confirmed by (Turkish) President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan. According to Turkish estimates another three million potential refugees may come from Aleppo and its neighbourhood." Hundreds of thousands of migrants - many of them fleeing conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa - have already arrived in the EU this year, many via Turkey and Greece.
Russia began its air strikes in Syria on 30 September, saying it was targeting Islamic State (IS) militants at the request of Mr Assad's government.
The West says Russia is also hitting non-IS rebels - a claim denied by the Kremlin. There have been reports that a number of Syrian civilians have been killed in the Russian strikes,
In Brussels, Mr Erdogan and EU leaders agreed to finalise an action plan with Turkey in the coming days to deal with the refugee crisis.
"It is clear that we need Turkey. The Commission will come to its aid," European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said.
He also hailed Turkey for having admitted 2.2 million Syrian refugees.
But any such action plan could be torn to shreds if millions more refugees emerge from the Syrian civil war, the BBC's Chris Morris in Brussels reports.
Hundreds of thousands of migrants - many of them fleeing conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa - have already arrived in the EU this year.
Last month, the 28-member EU agreed plans to relocate 120,000 migrants over the next two years.Last month, the 28-member EU agreed plans to relocate 120,000 migrants over the next two years.
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.