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EU migration: EU presses Turkey to agree deal | EU migration: EU presses Turkey to agree deal |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A delegation of European commissioners has travelled to Turkey in a last-ditch bid to secure a draft agreement on tackling Europe's migration crisis. | |
The EU had hoped to have an agreement in place ahead of a summit on Thursday. | The EU had hoped to have an agreement in place ahead of a summit on Thursday. |
But matters were delayed by three days of national mourning in Turkey after Saturday's bomb attacks in Ankara. | But matters were delayed by three days of national mourning in Turkey after Saturday's bomb attacks in Ankara. |
Nearly 600,000 migrants have reached the EU by sea so far this year, most via Turkey, says the International Organisation for Migration. | Nearly 600,000 migrants have reached the EU by sea so far this year, most via Turkey, says the International Organisation for Migration. |
Turkey is thought to be hosting some two million migrants, most of them fleeing the war in neighbouring Syria. | Turkey is thought to be hosting some two million migrants, most of them fleeing the war in neighbouring Syria. |
In return for greater co-operation with the EU, Turkey is expected to press for more rapid progress towards visa-free travel for its citizens to European countries that have abolished border controls within the so-called Schengen area. | In return for greater co-operation with the EU, Turkey is expected to press for more rapid progress towards visa-free travel for its citizens to European countries that have abolished border controls within the so-called Schengen area. |
But the EU Council President Donald Tusk has warned that concessions will only be granted if they help reduce the influx of migrants, which stands at a record level. | But the EU Council President Donald Tusk has warned that concessions will only be granted if they help reduce the influx of migrants, which stands at a record level. |
Mr Tusk warned that next spring could bring an even bigger wave. | Mr Tusk warned that next spring could bring an even bigger wave. |
Migration in 2015 | Migration in 2015 |
Sensitive | Sensitive |
European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans is leading the delegation seeking to persuade the Turkish government to sign up to a joint action plan on the migration crisis. | |
Ahead of the visit, Mr Timmermans criticised EU nations for failing to provide funds and experts promised to help deal with the migrant crisis. | |
He said just three of the 28 EU members had pledged a total of about 12m euros (£8.9m; £13.7m) to a fund aimed at helping African countries manage their borders. The pot of money was supposed to accrue 1.8bn euros over two years. | |
Only 130 police officers have been volunteered to help fingerprint people, he continued, falling far short of the 1,000 officers the EU's border agency and asylum office had been hoping for. | |
"Words need to be matched with action," he told reporters before flying to Turkey. | |
The joint action plan includes: | |
Many of the issues are sensitive ones, say correspondents - Greece, for instance, fears Turkey could increase its presence in the Aegean Sea separating the two nations where the two have rival territorial claims. | Many of the issues are sensitive ones, say correspondents - Greece, for instance, fears Turkey could increase its presence in the Aegean Sea separating the two nations where the two have rival territorial claims. |
And some EU member states have concerns about embracing Turkey, citing concerns over its human rights record, policies towards the Kurdish minority and media freedom. | And some EU member states have concerns about embracing Turkey, citing concerns over its human rights record, policies towards the Kurdish minority and media freedom. |
The atmosphere in Turkey, meanwhile, remains febrile with three top Ankara officials - police, intelligence and security chiefs - suspended in the wake of Saturday's bombings in which 97 people died. | The atmosphere in Turkey, meanwhile, remains febrile with three top Ankara officials - police, intelligence and security chiefs - suspended in the wake of Saturday's bombings in which 97 people died. |
In a letter to the 29 EU leaders ahead of Thursday's summit in Brussels, Mr Tusk warned that the goal of talks with Turkey was "to stem the wave of refugees to Europe. An agreement with Turkey makes sense if it effectively reduces the inflow of refugees. | In a letter to the 29 EU leaders ahead of Thursday's summit in Brussels, Mr Tusk warned that the goal of talks with Turkey was "to stem the wave of refugees to Europe. An agreement with Turkey makes sense if it effectively reduces the inflow of refugees. |
"Concessions will only be justified when this goal is achieved." | "Concessions will only be justified when this goal is achieved." |
Future proof? | Future proof? |
So far in 2015, 710,000 irregular migrants have entered the EU compared with 282,000 for the whole of 2014, the bloc's border agency Frontex said on Tuesday. | So far in 2015, 710,000 irregular migrants have entered the EU compared with 282,000 for the whole of 2014, the bloc's border agency Frontex said on Tuesday. |
In his letter, Mr Tusk warned that the regional situation was "difficult and politically very complex. | In his letter, Mr Tusk warned that the regional situation was "difficult and politically very complex. |
"Just to give one example, Turkey is calling on us to support the establishment of a safe zone in northern Syria, whereas Russia - increasingly engaged in Syria - is openly rejecting this idea." | "Just to give one example, Turkey is calling on us to support the establishment of a safe zone in northern Syria, whereas Russia - increasingly engaged in Syria - is openly rejecting this idea." |
He went on: "We must ask ourselves if the decisions we have taken so far, and the ones we are going to take on Thursday, are sufficient to contain a new migratory wave" - a wave, he warned, that could mean millions of new arrivals in the spring. | He went on: "We must ask ourselves if the decisions we have taken so far, and the ones we are going to take on Thursday, are sufficient to contain a new migratory wave" - a wave, he warned, that could mean millions of new arrivals in the spring. |
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