Erdogan walks out of talks with the EU over migrant cash
Talks between the European Union and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan broke down yesterday after officials told the Turkish leader to stop encouraging migrants to flock to Greece.
Erdogan accused the EU of not taking in enough refugees, not giving Turkey enough money to house them and of breaking the terms of the 2016 deal on migrants. His bad-tempered exchange with Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, lasted an hour and 45 minutes.
The Turkish president demanded that the EU upgrade a €6 billion pact signed to share the burden and costs faced by his country, which hosts 3.5 million refugees from Syria.
Erdogan triggered a crisis last week by announcing that Turkey would no longer prevent people crossing into the EU, leading to clashes between tens of thousands of migrants and Greek border guards.
Turkey has estimated the cost of housing Syrian refugees at €40 billion and accused the EU of failing to honour a promise in the 2016 deal of progress on visa-free travel for Turks.
After the meeting, von der Leyen admitted that neither side could agree on what the migration deal, signed almost four years ago, meant precisely and that aspects of the accord had not been implemented. ‘‘The 2016 agreement remains valid and we need to implement missing elements,’’ she said. ‘‘We have indicated to President Erdogan that we are willing to move forward as long as it is reciprocal.’’
Michel said that teams of EU and Turkish officials would meet over the coming days ‘‘to work to clarify the implementation of the deal to be certain we are on the same page’’.
The EU has rallied behind Greece, finding an extra €700 million to help it deal with migration and describing it as a ‘‘shield’’ protecting Europe’s borders.
‘‘It is beyond reason and understanding that an ally and a neighbouring country points toward Turkey as the one responsible for the wave of irregular migration,’’ Erdogan said of Greece, a fellow Nato member.
The EU has condemned ‘‘Turkey’s use of migratory pressure for political purposes’’ and warned Erdogan that there will be no negotiations until he prevents migrants from crossing into Greece.