Turks demanding ‘ransom’ over bid to halt migrants
‘We’re not going to turn the tap off’
DAVID Cameron l ast night offered to hand £500million of British taxpayers’ money to Turkey as it held Europe to ransom over the migrant crisis.
The Prime Minister and fellow EU leaders said they would give in to a Turkish demand for six billion euros (£4.6billion) in aid – and drew up plans to let the country’s 77million citizens come to continental Europe without visas from June.
Downing Street even suggested they would be willing to give more cash if Turkey stems the number of migrants arriving in Europe, with a British official saying: ‘We’re not going to turn the tap off.’
Yesterday it emerged Turkey is demanding:
A relaxation of visa rules for businessmen and holidaymakers to come in June rather than October, giving 90 days of visa-free travel;
Six billion euros in aid before the end of 2018;
That for each Syrian returned to Turkey, the EU takes another Syrian from a camp in Turkey and resettles them on the Continent;
A speeding up of the negotiation process which could ultimately end in Turkey becoming a full member of the EU.
Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu warned leaders at the summit i n Brussels that they needed to recognise his nation was ‘indispensable’ in tackling the crisis and said it was ‘ready to be a member of the EU’. The country has become a gateway to Europe with more than 985,000 migrants crossing the Aegean Sea to the Greek islands since the start of last year.
In Ankara, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan boasted that his prime minister had gone to force the EU to stump up a promised three billion euro fund for refugees agreed in November.
‘It’s been four months. They are yet to deliver,’ he said. ‘Mr prime minister is in Brussels. I hope he will return with the money.’
Over a halal lunch of celery soup and carrot flan, fillet of sole and a mango and raspberry dessert, Mr Davutoglu increased the demand, saying he wanted six billion euros before the end of 2018 and for a relaxation of visa rules to come in June rather than October.
In response, the EU put on the table a draft deal that will see Ankara take back all economic migrants on the Greek islands.
But for each Syrian returned, the EU would accept a Syrian from a camp in Turkey and resettle them on the Continent creating a ‘migrant merry-go-round’. This could see Europe accept thousands more refugees by the time the deal expires in December 2018.
EU leaders signalled they would allow Turkish citizens to travel to the Schengen area, which Britain is not a part of, for up to 90 days without needing a visa. Mr Cameron had already committed to giving £250million in aid for the 2.5million Syrian refugees in Turkey, but this will be doubled to £500million.
David Davis, Tory spokesman for the Grassroots Out campaign, said: ‘We are being held to ransom by the Turkish government. This whole charade proves what pitiful influence we have within the EU.’
The summit broke up last night without reaching a final agreement Leaders said there would be another meeting on March 17. As he left, Mr Cameron said there was the ‘basis for a breakthrough’.