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| The Latest: Belgian PM: Turkey tactics feel like blackmail | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BRUSSELS — The Latest on European efforts to respond to massive migration (all times local): | BRUSSELS — The Latest on European efforts to respond to massive migration (all times local): |
| 4:40 p.m. | |
| Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel says that the Turkish negotiating tactics during talks with the European Union about the migration crisis sometimes feel like blackmail. | |
| Since most of the million-plus migrants that have come into the EU over the past year left from Turkey, EU leaders at Thursday’s summit need a deal with Ankara to stop the flow. But many have said that Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu drives a very hard bargain. | |
| Michel said that “Turkey is really asking for a lot. I refuse to accept negotiations that sometimes resemble a form of blackmail.” | |
| ___ | |
| 4 p.m. | 4 p.m. |
| Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is predicting that migrants would stop leaving Turkey for the European Union within a month under a new deal being thrashed out with Ankara. | Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is predicting that migrants would stop leaving Turkey for the European Union within a month under a new deal being thrashed out with Ankara. |
| Rutte told reporters Thursday that “we expect this to stop in three to four weeks.” His remarks came before an EU summit focused on finalizing a deal to send thousands of migrants back to Turkey. | Rutte told reporters Thursday that “we expect this to stop in three to four weeks.” His remarks came before an EU summit focused on finalizing a deal to send thousands of migrants back to Turkey. |
| The Dutch premier warned that is imperative to reach an agreement with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu by Friday. | The Dutch premier warned that is imperative to reach an agreement with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu by Friday. |
| Rutte said that “if we cannot work this out tonight and tomorrow, I don’t see how we would be able to do it later.” | Rutte said that “if we cannot work this out tonight and tomorrow, I don’t see how we would be able to do it later.” |
| ___ | ___ |
| 3:25 p.m. | 3:25 p.m. |
| The president of Cyprus says Turkey must open its airports and ports to Cypriot ships and planes if it wants to join the European Union — a standoff that is hampering efforts to seal an EU-Turkey migrant agreement. | The president of Cyprus says Turkey must open its airports and ports to Cypriot ships and planes if it wants to join the European Union — a standoff that is hampering efforts to seal an EU-Turkey migrant agreement. |
| President Nicos Anastasiades said Thursday that “every candidate country should fulfill its obligations and it’s obvious that unfortunately, until now, Turkey hasn’t.” | President Nicos Anastasiades said Thursday that “every candidate country should fulfill its obligations and it’s obvious that unfortunately, until now, Turkey hasn’t.” |
| As part of a package of sweeteners aimed at getting Turkey to take back tens of thousands of refugees, the EU is offering to speed up membership talks with Ankara. | As part of a package of sweeteners aimed at getting Turkey to take back tens of thousands of refugees, the EU is offering to speed up membership talks with Ankara. |
| But Cyprus insists that Turkey must extend an EU-wide customs agreement to the Mediterranean country. | But Cyprus insists that Turkey must extend an EU-wide customs agreement to the Mediterranean country. |
| Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup aimed at union with Greece. Turkey refuses to recognize the Greek-Cypriot government. | Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup aimed at union with Greece. Turkey refuses to recognize the Greek-Cypriot government. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 2:35 p.m. | 2:35 p.m. |
| Refugees trapped in Greece have held peaceful protests in the country’s main port, demanding that European countries open their borders to let them reach the continent’s prosperous heartland. | Refugees trapped in Greece have held peaceful protests in the country’s main port, demanding that European countries open their borders to let them reach the continent’s prosperous heartland. |
| About 350 people from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan took part in the peaceful protests at Piraeus, the port of Athens, where some 4,000 people are stranded. They held up signs reading “Open the borders” and “We are humans too.” | About 350 people from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan took part in the peaceful protests at Piraeus, the port of Athens, where some 4,000 people are stranded. They held up signs reading “Open the borders” and “We are humans too.” |
| Also Thursday, U.S. actress Angelina Jolie, a United Nations refugee agency special envoy, visited refugee and migrant shelters on the eastern island of Lesbos. That’s where most of the more than a million people who reached Greece from Turkey on flimsy smugglers’ boats over the past 15 months landed. | Also Thursday, U.S. actress Angelina Jolie, a United Nations refugee agency special envoy, visited refugee and migrant shelters on the eastern island of Lesbos. That’s where most of the more than a million people who reached Greece from Turkey on flimsy smugglers’ boats over the past 15 months landed. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 2:15 p.m. | 2:15 p.m. |
| European Union auditors have issued a harsh verdict on some past efforts to control external migration. They say those efforts lacked a clear strategy and were poorly monitored, and that it was impossible to measure their results. | European Union auditors have issued a harsh verdict on some past efforts to control external migration. They say those efforts lacked a clear strategy and were poorly monitored, and that it was impossible to measure their results. |
| Daniele Lamarque, a member of the EU Court of Auditors, presented the report Thursday on EU-funded projects approved for Algeria, Georgia, Moldova, Morocco and Ukraine in 2007-13. She said the total amount charged to the EU budget couldn’t be determined by the audit, and that it was unclear whether the bloc’s funds were spent in keeping with intended geographic and policy priorities. | Daniele Lamarque, a member of the EU Court of Auditors, presented the report Thursday on EU-funded projects approved for Algeria, Georgia, Moldova, Morocco and Ukraine in 2007-13. She said the total amount charged to the EU budget couldn’t be determined by the audit, and that it was unclear whether the bloc’s funds were spent in keeping with intended geographic and policy priorities. |
| The auditors’ recommendations include establishing a framework for assessing performance and focusing EU resources on clearly defined goals. | The auditors’ recommendations include establishing a framework for assessing performance and focusing EU resources on clearly defined goals. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 1:15 p.m. | 1:15 p.m. |
| Turkey’s coast guard says 54 Afghan migrants were intercepted in the Aegean Sea as their dinghy sped toward the Greek island of Lesbos, and were returned to Turkey. | Turkey’s coast guard says 54 Afghan migrants were intercepted in the Aegean Sea as their dinghy sped toward the Greek island of Lesbos, and were returned to Turkey. |
| The coast guard released a statement and video Thursday about the interception a day earlier. | The coast guard released a statement and video Thursday about the interception a day earlier. |
| European Union leaders are preparing to push ahead with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey, which has been the main departure point for asylum seekers heading for Europe. | European Union leaders are preparing to push ahead with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey, which has been the main departure point for asylum seekers heading for Europe. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 10:45 a.m. | 10:45 a.m. |
| Greece is insisting that European Union leaders meeting in Brussels must provide for sanctions against member states that unilaterally decide to shut out refugees. | Greece is insisting that European Union leaders meeting in Brussels must provide for sanctions against member states that unilaterally decide to shut out refugees. |
| Deputy Defense Minister Dimitris Vitsas, who heads a task force on migration, said Thursday that Europe should not contain “fortress-states.” | Deputy Defense Minister Dimitris Vitsas, who heads a task force on migration, said Thursday that Europe should not contain “fortress-states.” |
| Athens has repeatedly criticized fellow EU member Austria for capping the number of migrants it lets in, which had a domino effect through the Balkans and left nearly 46,000 migrants stuck in Greece. | Athens has repeatedly criticized fellow EU member Austria for capping the number of migrants it lets in, which had a domino effect through the Balkans and left nearly 46,000 migrants stuck in Greece. |
| That figure includes 14,000 living in a waterlogged tent city set up round the closed Idomeni border crossing with non EU member Macedonia. | That figure includes 14,000 living in a waterlogged tent city set up round the closed Idomeni border crossing with non EU member Macedonia. |
| Greek authorities are trying to persuade people in Idomeni to move to organized shelters elsewhere, but have ruled out using violence to evacuate the camp. | Greek authorities are trying to persuade people in Idomeni to move to organized shelters elsewhere, but have ruled out using violence to evacuate the camp. |
| ___ | ___ |
| 10:40 a.m. | 10:40 a.m. |
| The top European Union official trying to broker a contested agreement with Turkey to send back tens of thousands warns that the talks will not be easy. | The top European Union official trying to broker a contested agreement with Turkey to send back tens of thousands warns that the talks will not be easy. |
| EU Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday that “I am cautiously optimistic, but frankly more cautious than optimistic.” | EU Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday that “I am cautiously optimistic, but frankly more cautious than optimistic.” |
| He says any deal at a two-day meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday must satisfy all the bloc’s 28 member countries. | He says any deal at a two-day meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday must satisfy all the bloc’s 28 member countries. |
| Cyprus is threating to veto a deal because Turkey does not recognize it. Spain rejects any blanket return of migrants. Hungary refuses to resettle refugees from Turkey, saying that would only attract more people to Europe. | Cyprus is threating to veto a deal because Turkey does not recognize it. Spain rejects any blanket return of migrants. Hungary refuses to resettle refugees from Turkey, saying that would only attract more people to Europe. |
| The summit is due open in Brussels at 1500 GMT. | The summit is due open in Brussels at 1500 GMT. |
| ___ | ___ |
| European Union leaders will push ahead Thursday with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe’s biggest refugee emergency in decades. | European Union leaders will push ahead Thursday with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe’s biggest refugee emergency in decades. |
| With European unity fraying in the face of more than 1 million migrant arrivals over the last year, Turkey — the source of most refugees heading to Greece — is seen as the key partner to contain the influx. | With European unity fraying in the face of more than 1 million migrant arrivals over the last year, Turkey — the source of most refugees heading to Greece — is seen as the key partner to contain the influx. |
| The U.N. refugee agency has reservations about asylum standards in Turkey and rights groups are concerned over Ankara’s crackdown on the media and its bloody conflict with Kurdish rebels. | The U.N. refugee agency has reservations about asylum standards in Turkey and rights groups are concerned over Ankara’s crackdown on the media and its bloody conflict with Kurdish rebels. |
| The EU, however, feels it has no better option. | The EU, however, feels it has no better option. |
| “How are you going to help Greece without having an agreement with Turkey to handle the issue? Do you really want to condemn Greece to become a refugee camp for the rest of Europe?” EU Commission vice president Frans Timmermans said, on the eve of the two-day summit in Brussels. | “How are you going to help Greece without having an agreement with Turkey to handle the issue? Do you really want to condemn Greece to become a refugee camp for the rest of Europe?” EU Commission vice president Frans Timmermans said, on the eve of the two-day summit in Brussels. |
| Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |