Turkey to keep border open ANKARA URGES RUSSIA TO HELP IN SYRIA ISSUE
Ankara, March 11: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday he would keep Turkey’s border open for refugees until the EU had met all his demands, while comparing Greece’s response to the crisis to the Nazis.
“Until all Turkey’s expectations, including free movement, ... updating of the customs union and financial assistance, are tangibly met, we will continue the practice on our borders,” he said in a televised speech.
Turkey’s decision at the end of February to reopen its border for refugees sparked a row with Brussels, as well as harsh exchanges with Greece.
Greece has tear-gassed thousands of migrants trying to break through and been accused of beating and stripping migrants of their belongings if they made it across the border.
“There is no difference between what the Nazis did and those images from the Greek border,” Erdogan said. Greece has denied using violence and accused Turkey of pushing desperate people into dangerous attempts to enter Europe.
Erdogan said he opened the gates in order to pressure Europe into providing greater assistance with the Syrian conflict, where Turkey has fought to push back a regime
Ankara, March 11: Turkey urged Russia on Wednesday to deal with alleged violations of a week-old ceasefire by Syrian government forces in Idlib, the last bastion of resistance to President Bashar alAssad.
“Although there are only small incidents here and there, the ceasefire has started to be violated,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who backs some rebel groups in Idlib.
“We are sharing these developments with Russia... and expect them to take measures.” Erdogan agreed a truce last week with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who supports government forces, but previous deals have proved temporary. — AFP
offensive on the last rebel stronghold of Idlib.
“With the warming of the weather in the spring, the influx of irregular migrants heading to Europe will not be limited to Greece but spread all over the Mediterranean,” he warned.
—AFP