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Turkish president threatens to send millions of Syrian refugees to EU Turkish president threatens to send millions of Syrian refugees to EU
(35 minutes later)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has threatened to send the millions of refugees in Turkey to EU member states, as Nato agreed to deploy ships to the Aegean Sea to ease the migrant crisis.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has threatened to send the millions of refugees in Turkey to EU member states, as Nato agreed to deploy ships to the Aegean Sea to ease the migrant crisis.
In a speech in Ankara on Thursday, Erdoğan stepped up his denunciations of western policy in the refugee crisis, confirming he had threatened EU leaders at a summit meeting in November that Turkey could say “goodbye” to the refugees.In a speech in Ankara on Thursday, Erdoğan stepped up his denunciations of western policy in the refugee crisis, confirming he had threatened EU leaders at a summit meeting in November that Turkey could say “goodbye” to the refugees.
Related: Nato launches naval patrols to return migrants to TurkeyRelated: Nato launches naval patrols to return migrants to Turkey
But in a separate move, Nato agreed to send a naval group “without delay” to the Aegean to crack down on the people smugglers who have helped hundreds of thousands of migrants cross to EU territory in the last year.But in a separate move, Nato agreed to send a naval group “without delay” to the Aegean to crack down on the people smugglers who have helped hundreds of thousands of migrants cross to EU territory in the last year.
Alarm is growing in EU capitals that thousands of refugees are still crossing the Aegean daily from Turkey after over a million made the perilous journey last year.Alarm is growing in EU capitals that thousands of refugees are still crossing the Aegean daily from Turkey after over a million made the perilous journey last year.
But Turkey, already home to some 3 million refugees, is also under EU and UN pressure to take in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing regime advances in the Aleppo region.But Turkey, already home to some 3 million refugees, is also under EU and UN pressure to take in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing regime advances in the Aleppo region.
Erdoğan sought to turn the tables on the EU by saying Turkey had every right to send the refugees out of the country if it so wished.Erdoğan sought to turn the tables on the EU by saying Turkey had every right to send the refugees out of the country if it so wished.
“We do not have the word ‘idiot’ written on our foreheads. We will be patient but we will do what we have to. Don’t think that the planes and the buses are there for nothing,” Erdoğan said.“We do not have the word ‘idiot’ written on our foreheads. We will be patient but we will do what we have to. Don’t think that the planes and the buses are there for nothing,” Erdoğan said.
Greek website euro2day.gr had earlier this week reported that at the G20 summit in Antalya in November Erdoğan had angrily threatened to European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker that Turkey could send the refugees to Europe.Greek website euro2day.gr had earlier this week reported that at the G20 summit in Antalya in November Erdoğan had angrily threatened to European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker that Turkey could send the refugees to Europe.
The website had quoted Erdoğan as telling Juncker: “We can open the doors to Greece and Bulgaria anytime and put the refugees on buses.”The website had quoted Erdoğan as telling Juncker: “We can open the doors to Greece and Bulgaria anytime and put the refugees on buses.”
“I am proud of what I said. We have defended the rights of Turkey and the refugees. And we told them [the Europeans]: ‘Sorry, we will open the doors and say ‘goodbye’ to the migrants’,” Erdoğan said in his speech Thursday. “I am proud of what I said. We have defended the rights of Turkey and the refugees. And we told them [the Europeans]: ‘Sorry, we will open the doors and say goodbye to the migrants’,” Erdoğan said in his speech on Thursday.
He also lashed out at UN calls on Turkey to take in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees from Aleppo region massed on the border with Turkey, saying the United Nations has spent less than half a billion dollars in the crisis.He also lashed out at UN calls on Turkey to take in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees from Aleppo region massed on the border with Turkey, saying the United Nations has spent less than half a billion dollars in the crisis.
Related: The Guardian view on the battle for Aleppo: a rebuke to America and the world | EditorialRelated: The Guardian view on the battle for Aleppo: a rebuke to America and the world | Editorial
“Shame on you!” said Erdoğan, saying the UN should be telling states to take in refugees from Turkey.“Shame on you!” said Erdoğan, saying the UN should be telling states to take in refugees from Turkey.
Turkey is already hosting 2.5 million refugees from Syria’s civil war and hundreds of thousands from Iraq, and is increasingly bitter that it has been left to shoulder the burden.Turkey is already hosting 2.5 million refugees from Syria’s civil war and hundreds of thousands from Iraq, and is increasingly bitter that it has been left to shoulder the burden.
Erdoğan said Turkey had already spent some $9bn (€8bn) on hosting the refugees since Syria’s almost half decade civil war began. Erdoğan said Turkey had already spent some $9bn (€8bn) on hosting the refugees since Syria’s almost half-decade civil war began.
The EU has agreed to give Turkey €3bn in financial aid for the refugees but the funds have yet to be handed to Turkey, two-and-a-half months after they were agreed.The EU has agreed to give Turkey €3bn in financial aid for the refugees but the funds have yet to be handed to Turkey, two-and-a-half months after they were agreed.
“The €3bn is not in our budget, where has it gone?” asked Erdoğan. “It’s for refugees!” “The €3bn is not in our budget, where has it gone?” asked Erdoğan. “It’s for refugees.”