Brussels – The European Union on Sunday in Brussels expressed hope to secure concrete help in stemming a surge in migration, during the forthcoming joint summit in Brussels.
The EU President, Donald Tusk, in his invitation to the EU’s 28 leaders, expressed the hope that the summit would mark an important step in developing solid relations and contribute to managing the migration crisis.
Tusk stressed that Europe was facing its largest people movements since World War II, with almost 900,000 migrants and asylum seekers arriving this year.
“Many, including large numbers from war-torn Syria, transit through Turkey and board boats headed for Greece.
He said the EU had been courting Turkey for almost two months to enlist its help in curbing the arrivals and improving refugees’ prospects, increasing border patrols and cracking down on illegal traffickers.
“Turkey has taken in more than 2 million refugees, mostly from neighbouring Syria.
“In what critics call a “dirty deal,” Brussels is offering funding for Syrian refugees in Turkey, as well as progress on Ankara’s EU membership bid and on easier visa-free travel to the bloc,’’ he said.
Tusk said the details of the joint approach by Brussels and Ankara had been outlined in an action plan, which the EU was keen to finalise on Sunday.
“Other offers on the table include the opening of new negotiation chapters in Turkey’s long-running EU membership bid.
He said Ankara had asked for 3.2 billion dollars in support to help it host Syrian refugees, three times more than what the cash-strapped EU had initially offered.
The president said the EU governments had not yet agreed on how to split the bill.
He said the European Commission said it could only provide 500 million Euros over the next two years.
An EU diplomat said on condition of anonymity that accession talks began in 2005, but that progress had been slow amid years of French and German opposition, and tensions over EU member Cyprus.
“The talks are expected to be given a fresh impetus before the end of the year with the opening of negotiations on economic and financial issues.
He said the EU membership talks had been broken down into 35-chapter policy areas in which countries must bring their laws in line with EU standards.
The diplomats said that several of these were blocked due to Turkey’s non-recognition of Cyprus.
He said Brussels was also offering the prospect of easier visa rules for Turkish visitors to the bloc, possibly from late 2016 onwards, but Ankara must first undertake several reforms.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He said Turkey, in turn, was expected to ask EU member states to directly resettle Syrian asylum seekers from Turkish soil, to prevent them from undertaking the long and dangerous journey to Europe.
Another EU diplomat said on condition of anonymity that the talks could also move onto other topics, at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions over the conflict in Syria, the international fight against terrorism and Turkey’s recent downing of a Russian fighter jet.
“Once the door is closed, the leaders speak about what they want.” He said. (dpa/NAN)