Turkish, Greek Ministers Hold Talks Over Spike in Migrants to Greece

World

October 3rd, 12:04pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Riot police officers stand during clashes outside a camp in the town of Diavata in northern Greece, April 6. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis

Top Turkish and Greek ministers have met to discuss migration policies amid a spike in migrant arrivals in Greece over the summer, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu met with Giorgos Koumoutsakos, Greece’s migration minister, on Thursday in Ankara to hold talks over the issue, according to Anadolu Agency. Soylu is scheduled to hold a separate meeting with his French and German counterparts to discuss a 2016 European Union-Turkey migration agreement and ways of assisting Greece cope with the increased arrivals. The meetings follow threats by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Turkey could “open the gates” and allow migrants to leave for European countries, saying his country can’t shoulder the burden of 3.6 million refugees it hosts alone, the Associated Press reported. Turkey frequently accuses the EU of not keeping to the terms of the 2016 deal.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1929766/turkish-greek-ministers-hold-talks-over-spike-migrants-greece