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| European Union Plan to Slow Flow of Refugees Stalls as Turkey Makes Demands | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BRUSSELS — Turkey surprised European Union leaders on Monday by hitting them with a steep new set of demands as preconditions to help stem the flow of refugees from Syria and Iraq and other migrants seeking to enter Europe. | BRUSSELS — Turkey surprised European Union leaders on Monday by hitting them with a steep new set of demands as preconditions to help stem the flow of refugees from Syria and Iraq and other migrants seeking to enter Europe. |
| The demands at the start of an emergency summit in Brussels included billions in more money, easier access to visas for Turks to go to Europe, and the dramatic acceleration of talks on Turkey’s membership in the bloc, a discussion that has languished for years. | The demands at the start of an emergency summit in Brussels included billions in more money, easier access to visas for Turks to go to Europe, and the dramatic acceleration of talks on Turkey’s membership in the bloc, a discussion that has languished for years. |
| The toughening of the Turkish position came just days after the government seized Zaman, the country’s largest newspaper, as part of a media crackdown, and underscored Ankara’s seeming attempt to use the migration crisis to its advantage. | The toughening of the Turkish position came just days after the government seized Zaman, the country’s largest newspaper, as part of a media crackdown, and underscored Ankara’s seeming attempt to use the migration crisis to its advantage. |
| Human rights considerations were now likely to be trumped by the urgency of the migration crisis, as time runs down for the bloc to come up with a plan to head off a new surge of migrants in coming weeks. | Human rights considerations were now likely to be trumped by the urgency of the migration crisis, as time runs down for the bloc to come up with a plan to head off a new surge of migrants in coming weeks. |
| The Turkish demands, in fact, laid bare the European Union’s weakening position and signaled that the difficulties — and costs — of managing the crisis may only rise the longer it stumbles on. | The Turkish demands, in fact, laid bare the European Union’s weakening position and signaled that the difficulties — and costs — of managing the crisis may only rise the longer it stumbles on. |
| Hoping to avoid a repeat of last year, when hundreds of thousands of refugees overwhelmed authorities from Greece to Germany, and beyond, European leaders were weighing whether to declare “closed” the route migrants have taken through the Balkans to reach Western Europe. | Hoping to avoid a repeat of last year, when hundreds of thousands of refugees overwhelmed authorities from Greece to Germany, and beyond, European leaders were weighing whether to declare “closed” the route migrants have taken through the Balkans to reach Western Europe. |
| But such a step threatens to bottle up migrants in already hard-pressed Greece, and has sharply divided European leaders, with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany suggesting that it would undo the Continent’s commitment to help those in need. | But such a step threatens to bottle up migrants in already hard-pressed Greece, and has sharply divided European leaders, with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany suggesting that it would undo the Continent’s commitment to help those in need. |
| “You end up in situations like this when you have neglected to build the capacity to deal with the bigger issues of our time,” said Fredrik Erixon, the director of the European Center for International Political Economy, a research group in Brussels. | “You end up in situations like this when you have neglected to build the capacity to deal with the bigger issues of our time,” said Fredrik Erixon, the director of the European Center for International Political Economy, a research group in Brussels. |
| “Turkey now is going to raise the costs for Europe,” he added, “and to such an extent that Europe may not be able to oppose Turkish goals in the region including how to deal with Syria and the Kurds.” | “Turkey now is going to raise the costs for Europe,” he added, “and to such an extent that Europe may not be able to oppose Turkish goals in the region including how to deal with Syria and the Kurds.” |
| As the meeting got underway, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reiterated calls for the creation of a “safe zone” in Syria where migrants could be free from the violence that has torn the country apart over the last five years. | As the meeting got underway, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reiterated calls for the creation of a “safe zone” in Syria where migrants could be free from the violence that has torn the country apart over the last five years. |
| In a televised speech on Monday, Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said the country had spent $10 billion caring for the Syrian refugees. He said the European Union had been slow to disburse the €3 billion it pledged. “The prime minister is in Brussels right now,” Mr. Erdogan said of Mr. Davutoglu. “I hope he returns with that money.” | In a televised speech on Monday, Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said the country had spent $10 billion caring for the Syrian refugees. He said the European Union had been slow to disburse the €3 billion it pledged. “The prime minister is in Brussels right now,” Mr. Erdogan said of Mr. Davutoglu. “I hope he returns with that money.” |
| Mr. Davutoglu surprised a handful of European leaders on Sunday night, in a negotiating session that dragged on until nearly 3 a.m., by putting Turkey’s attempts to join the European Union — a process known as accession — on the agenda. | Mr. Davutoglu surprised a handful of European leaders on Sunday night, in a negotiating session that dragged on until nearly 3 a.m., by putting Turkey’s attempts to join the European Union — a process known as accession — on the agenda. |
| “Turkey is ready to work with the E.U.,” Mr. Davutoglu told reporters before the summit meeting on Monday. “Turkey is ready to be a member of the E.U. as well.” He added: “ I hope this summit, which will not focus only on irregular migration but also on the Turkish accession process to the E.U., will be a success story and a turning point in our relations.” | “Turkey is ready to work with the E.U.,” Mr. Davutoglu told reporters before the summit meeting on Monday. “Turkey is ready to be a member of the E.U. as well.” He added: “ I hope this summit, which will not focus only on irregular migration but also on the Turkish accession process to the E.U., will be a success story and a turning point in our relations.” |
| Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, which represents the leaders of the 28 nations that make up the European Union, spent last week in the Balkans and in Turkey, in preparation for the Brussels meetings. | Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, which represents the leaders of the 28 nations that make up the European Union, spent last week in the Balkans and in Turkey, in preparation for the Brussels meetings. |
| Last week, he sternly warned migrants who are seeking a better life in Europe, but are not eligible for political asylum, not to come, and Mr. Tusk’s staff drafted a statement declaring that leaders had decided to “close the Western Balkans route” that the migrants have used to reach destinations like Austria, Germany and Sweden. | Last week, he sternly warned migrants who are seeking a better life in Europe, but are not eligible for political asylum, not to come, and Mr. Tusk’s staff drafted a statement declaring that leaders had decided to “close the Western Balkans route” that the migrants have used to reach destinations like Austria, Germany and Sweden. |
| Ms. Merkel said on Monday that “we want to fight illegal immigration and that is only possible in cooperation with Turkey,” but she was said to resist the wording of Mr. Tusk’s statement. | Ms. Merkel said on Monday that “we want to fight illegal immigration and that is only possible in cooperation with Turkey,” but she was said to resist the wording of Mr. Tusk’s statement. |
| However, Ms. Merkel, arguably the most influential of the leaders in shaping the European Union’s policies, appeared to be facing pressures from all around her. | However, Ms. Merkel, arguably the most influential of the leaders in shaping the European Union’s policies, appeared to be facing pressures from all around her. |
| She, in particular, is concerned about letting the migrants get trapped in Greece and about renewed turmoil there after a crippling debt crisis nearly forced the country out of the eurozone. | She, in particular, is concerned about letting the migrants get trapped in Greece and about renewed turmoil there after a crippling debt crisis nearly forced the country out of the eurozone. |
| Germany also has been sharply at odds with its neighbor, Austria, after the government in Vienna imposed restrictions on the free flow of migrants, threatening the bloc’s system of passport-free travel. | Germany also has been sharply at odds with its neighbor, Austria, after the government in Vienna imposed restrictions on the free flow of migrants, threatening the bloc’s system of passport-free travel. |
| “It cannot be that something will be closed,” Ms. Merkel was quoted by German news agency DPA as saying about the Western Balkans route ahead of the meeting. | “It cannot be that something will be closed,” Ms. Merkel was quoted by German news agency DPA as saying about the Western Balkans route ahead of the meeting. |
| Yet some 13,000 migrants have been stuck along the Greek border with Macedonia, around the village of Idomeni, prompting the governor there to declare a state of emergency. | Yet some 13,000 migrants have been stuck along the Greek border with Macedonia, around the village of Idomeni, prompting the governor there to declare a state of emergency. |
| Others would like to see European borders stay shut, however. | Others would like to see European borders stay shut, however. |
| “If we bring migrants from Greece or Turkey directly into Europe, that’s an invitation to waltz, fuel to the fire,” Hungary’s right-wing prime minister, Viktor Orban, told reporters in Brussels. “It will only result in even more arrivals.” | “If we bring migrants from Greece or Turkey directly into Europe, that’s an invitation to waltz, fuel to the fire,” Hungary’s right-wing prime minister, Viktor Orban, told reporters in Brussels. “It will only result in even more arrivals.” |
| He added: “Borders must be closed, and direct resettlement is out of the question, at least as far as Hungary is concerned.” | He added: “Borders must be closed, and direct resettlement is out of the question, at least as far as Hungary is concerned.” |
| Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, where voters will decide on June 23 on whether to remain in the European Union, said on Twitter that “I’m making clear the U.K.’s special status means we keep our own strong borders.” He added: “The U.K. will not join a common asylum process in Europe — we have an absolutely rock solid opt-out.” | Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, where voters will decide on June 23 on whether to remain in the European Union, said on Twitter that “I’m making clear the U.K.’s special status means we keep our own strong borders.” He added: “The U.K. will not join a common asylum process in Europe — we have an absolutely rock solid opt-out.” |
| The record flow of more than one million migrants to the Continent last year exposed the inadequacy of the European Union’s response to the geopolitical and humanitarian crisis triggered by Syria’s five-year-old civil war. | The record flow of more than one million migrants to the Continent last year exposed the inadequacy of the European Union’s response to the geopolitical and humanitarian crisis triggered by Syria’s five-year-old civil war. |
| Even with restraints in countries like Austria and Sweden, 130,000 people have arrived in the European Union so far this year and applied for asylum. | Even with restraints in countries like Austria and Sweden, 130,000 people have arrived in the European Union so far this year and applied for asylum. |
| Now much of the attention is on how to stop migrants reaching Europe in the first place — and to distinguish Syrians and Iraqis, whose claims to asylum are generally viewed sympathetically, from migrants who are fleeing poverty and chaos elsewhere. | Now much of the attention is on how to stop migrants reaching Europe in the first place — and to distinguish Syrians and Iraqis, whose claims to asylum are generally viewed sympathetically, from migrants who are fleeing poverty and chaos elsewhere. |
| “We want to fight illegal immigration and that is only possible in cooperation with Turkey,” Ms. Merkel said on Sunday. | “We want to fight illegal immigration and that is only possible in cooperation with Turkey,” Ms. Merkel said on Sunday. |
| For many years, Turkey has ostensibly been a candidate for membership in what is now the European Union, but Mr. Erdogan’s authoritarian turn have made that seem like an ever more distant prospect. Human rights observers reacted angrily to a comment over the weekend in which the German interior minister, Thomas de Maizière, said: “We should not be referees when it comes to human rights.” | For many years, Turkey has ostensibly been a candidate for membership in what is now the European Union, but Mr. Erdogan’s authoritarian turn have made that seem like an ever more distant prospect. Human rights observers reacted angrily to a comment over the weekend in which the German interior minister, Thomas de Maizière, said: “We should not be referees when it comes to human rights.” |
| Some critics have said that instead of relying on Turkey’s help, the European Union should instead focus on helping Greece manage the buildup of people within its borders, while creating an effective coast guard — in cooperation with NATO — to protect the country’s coastlines. | Some critics have said that instead of relying on Turkey’s help, the European Union should instead focus on helping Greece manage the buildup of people within its borders, while creating an effective coast guard — in cooperation with NATO — to protect the country’s coastlines. |
| But that approach, European officials say, still wouldn’t solve the problem of migrants getting on boats in the first place. | But that approach, European officials say, still wouldn’t solve the problem of migrants getting on boats in the first place. |