Turkish President Regepi Taipa Erdogan on Friday warned the European Union (EU) to abide by previous agreements on migrants and refugees and to help neighboring countries while fears of a new wave of refugees from Afghanistan grow.
The growing number of Afghan migrants could be a “serious challenge for all,” Erdogan said in a telephone conversation with Greek Prime Minister Kiriaka Micotaki.
Greece has already announced that it could send Afghans from its coast back to Turkey, which it considers a safe country for migrants.
Erdogan, referring to the 2016 agreement that “irregular” migrants arriving in the EU can be sent back to Turkey in exchange for aid, called on the EU to “truly honor its commitments”.
Ankara has repeatedly accused EU countries of failing to meet their obligations under the agreement.
Now that there are concerns about the arrival of more Afghan migrants, the EU should help Afghanistan’s neighbors, such as Iran, cope with any massive influx of new people, Erdogan said.
“A new wave of migration is inevitable if the necessary measures are not taken in Afghanistan and Iran,” Erdogan told Micotakim.
Turkey has already talked to its neighbor Iran and is tightening its border guards, Erdogan added.
The Greek government stated that “the two leaders discussed the need to support [Afganistānas] immediate neighbors so that Afghans stay as close to home as possible “.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, several European leaders have called for steps to be taken to prevent a recurrence of the situation in 2015, when large numbers of asylum seekers from the Middle East came to the EU via Turkey.
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