Germany, Turkey vow diplomatic effort to address migrant crisis

Russian raids on Aleppo caused another wave of refugees, with 30,000 of them now crowding along the Turkish frontier at Bab-al-Salama and Azaz, Le Monde reports. Only the most vulnerable are allowed to cross the Turkish border, which has “attained its limits,” said Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş. Most EU media focus on German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Turkey yesterday, reporting that the refugee crisis issue is at the centre of the meeting, after the approval of the European aid plan, worth €3 billion.

According to Publico and Rai Tre, Angela Merkel said after talks with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu that she was “horrified” by the suffering caused by the bombing in Syria. The two leaders did not clarify what form this alliance would take, with Davutoğlu reportedly referring to the potential of NATO surveillance on the borders and in the Aegean. During the discussion, the two also agreed on a series of measures to manage the refugee crisis, ranging from a joint diplomatic initiative to end the conflict in Syria, to a broader cooperation between the German and Turkish security forces against human smugglers, to the cooperation of humanitarian organisations for the provision of aid to the refugees at the border.

At a press conference yesterday, PM Davutoğlu also announced Turkey will report to the EU on the projects to be launched using the € 3 billion received from the EU next week, Magyar Hirlap and Publico reports. Several Greek media and Telegraph.co.uk report about the revelation by euro2day of the minutes of the meeting between Turkish President Erdoğan, EC President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk, last November. Skai TV comments that the minutes of the meeting showcase the anxiety of Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk to reach an agreement with Turkey as soon as possible.

Kathimerini writes that the negotiating climate was very tense as President Tayyip Erdoğan threatened: “We can open the gates to Greece and Bulgaria to send refugees with buses at any time.” In the meantime, Monitor Daily reports that EC Spokesperson Mina Andreeva said at a press conference the EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement was to become effective as of June this year. Under the Agreement, EU member states will be returning to Turkey migrants without international asylum rights who have entered the EU via Turkey, or Turkish citizens without residence rights in the EU.

Meanwhile, several media continue to comment on Turkey’s role in the refugee crisis. Kai Küstner comments on WDR that the EU is “at the mercy of the Turkish government” since Europe is placing all its hopes on it to find a solution in the refugee crisis. Gerd Höhler argues in Handelsblatt that while Turkey theoretically plays “a key role” in finding a solution in the refugee crisis, last year’s action plan between the EU and Turkey has not led to any considerable success.

Nico Fried, in an article in SZ, writes that while Turkey is “a democracy with many deficits,” it has shown more humanity towards refugees than any EU member state. Meanwhile, in his editorial in Le Figaro, Renaud Girard believes Erdoğan is using the refugee crisis as a lever to get what he wants from the European Union.