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WORLD NEWSSaturday 28 November 2015
EU turns to Turkey to help manage its migration woes
LORNE COOK take back some migrants Migrants demanding to be allowed to pass the Greek-Macedonian border sit on the railway
Associated Press who don’t qualify for asy- tracks in front of Macedonian policemen near the northern Greek village of Idomeni. Several
BRUSSELS (AP) — Five lum in Europe. EU money European countries, including EU members Slovenia and Croatia and non-members Serbia and
years ago, Libyan dicta- will help build centers to Macedonia, have declared they will only allow “war-zone refugees” from Afghanistan, Iraq and
tor Moammar Gadhafi hold them. Syria to transit through their countries on their way to central and northern Europe.
warned that millions of Af- The Europeans hope Turk-
ricans wanted to come ish President Recep Tayyip (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
to the European Union Erdogan — who will not at-
and offered to make the tend the summit — can be
continent’s immigration their savior, yet disturbing
problem disappear in ex- questions remain over Tur-
change for billions of euros. key’s human rights record.
Despite Libyan rights abus- “He’s king of playing hard-
es, Europe listened, and ball. He’s a smart guy,
Italy signed a deal with the he knows how to act, he
Gadhafi regime. knows what to say in order
At a high-profile summit in to achieve benefits,” said
Brussels Sunday, Europe’s Amanda Paul, a senior
leaders will offer Turkey 3 analyst at the European
billion euros ($3.2 billion), Policy Centre think-tank.
an easing of visa restric- According to the Inter-
tions and the fast-tracking national Organization for
of its EU membership pro- Migration, almost 900,000
cess. people have entered Eu-
In exchange, Ankara is to rope this year seeking
tighten border security and sanctuary or jobs. More
than 600,000 have entered trying to reach the island of Council President Donald
through Greece, many af- Lesbos. Tusk told EU lawmakers
ter making the short sea So Turkey has become an last month. An unpalat-
crossing from Turkey. indispensable actor as the able truth is that the EU is
Though the distance is refugee emergency leads well aware of Turkey’s hu-
short, the crossing is dan- some European nations to man rights failings — just
gerous. On Friday, six chil- shut down borders, crack as it was of Libya’s — yet it
dren drowned in the two down on security or erect again appears ready to set
separate accidents. In one razor-wire fences. values aside in a quest to
case, two sisters, aged 4 Many fear the future of Eu- resolve its refugee crisis.
and 1, drowned when a rope’s 26-nation passport- In a recent membership
wooden boat capsized in free Schengen travel area, progress report, the EU crit-
bad weather near the Turk- indeed the very project of icized Ankara’s interfer-
ish resort of Bodrum. Hours European unity, is in jeop- ence in its justice system
later, four Afghan children ardy. and Turkish government
drowned when their boat “We have to try to co- pressure on the media. Just
sank further north off the operate with Turkey be- this Thursday, two more
town of Ayvacik, a main cause, in fact, we have no opposition journalists were
crossing point for migrants other options,” European jailed in Turkey.q
Greece near deal on next slice of bailout aid
BRUSSELS (AP) — Greece ed to get another 1 billion one billion euros still avail-
and its creditors are close euros. able.” That would also al-
to sealing a deal on con- European Commission low for an important review
ditions that Athens must spokeswoman Mina An- of Greece’s handling of its
respect to obtain the next dreeva said Friday the sides austerity program, which is
slice of rescue money. have “agreed broadly the required to secure interna-
The country has already re- second set of milestones.” tional credit.
ceived this week approval She said that when the de- Andreeva said the imple-
for a 2 billion euro loan, tails are ironed out “this of mentation of pension re-
and is negotiating on more course would unlock the forms “is a key part of the
economic measures need- disbursement of the final first review.”q
