Guarding of Greek-Turkish border discussed with Davutoglu, Merkel says
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
BERLIN (ANA-MPA/ F. Karaviti) German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday said that one of the issues she discussed with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey was the guarding of the Greek-Turkish border.
Protecting the European Union’s external borders was a central issue in the policy for the refugee crisis, which was an issue discussed extensively on Sunday, Merkel said in a press conference on the sidelines of the Antalya summit.
She said one aim was to convert illegal immigration into legal migration where possible and that this was one reason why her talks with Davutoglu had focused on guarding the Greek-Turkish border through an EU-Turkey agenda for migration, which was currently in the process of being negotiated.
In order to proceed, Merkel added, it was necessary to end illegal migration as much as possible and noted that Europe was prepared to discuss what financial assistance can be given to Turkey in the context of sharing the burdens and what number of refugees can be accepted and distributed in Europe.