{German chancellor on a visit to Turkey says “refugees will have more opportunities near their home”.}<\/p>\n
The German chancellor has sought the creation of “safe zones” to shelter refugees inside Syria, a proposal criticised by the UN and rights groups.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a university in the city of Gaziantep, Angela Merkel called for “zones where the ceasefire is particularly enforced and where a significant level of security can be guaranteed”.<\/p>\n
Keeping people displaced from their homes on the Syrian side of the border would help the 28-nation bloc and Turkey, which hosts 2.7 million Syrian refugees, stem the flow of refugees to European shores.<\/p>\n
Merkel, who visited Nizip refugee camp near the Syria border along with senior EU leaders on Saturday, heaped praise on Turkey for its efforts at the camp.<\/p>\n
“Our goal is not only to stop illegal migration, but for refugees to have more opportunities near their home,” Merkel said.<\/p>\n
The UN has warned against the safe-zone plan unless there was a way to guarantee the refugees’ safety in the war-torn state. Aid workers have also opposed it.<\/p>\n
A ceasefire between the Syrian government and rebel groups in place since February end has faltered, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee the fighting.<\/p>\n
But they are not allowed to cross into Turkey, and instead are camped near the Azaz border crossing where local agencies offer humanitarian support.<\/p>\n
Turkey only allows critically injured Syrians to enter the country where more than 2.7 million refugees are registered.<\/p>\n
EU-Turkey deal<\/p>\n
EU leaders have faced criticism for striking a deal last month with Turkey under which Ankara would get a package of incentives – from billions in refugee aid to progress on visa-free access to the bloc for Turkish citizens – in exchange for help in returning refugees.<\/p>\n
The deal to send back thousands of refugees and migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey has been dubbed as immoral and a violation of international humanitarian law. Rights groups say Turkey is not a country where returnees can be guaranteed proper protection.<\/p>\n
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the deal had already had a significant impact and that the number of people illegally crossing the Aegean Sea each day had dropped from 6,000 in November to 130.<\/p>\n
One side of the bargain, used to sell the refugee deal to the Turkish public, was Turks winning quicker visa-free travel to Europe, a pledge that now could go unfulfilled, at least by the June deadline Prime Minister Davutoglu had wanted.<\/p>\n
On Saturday Davutoglu said there would be no more readmissions if visa liberalisation was not enacted, but that he believed the EU would take the necessary steps.<\/p>\n
Davutoglu, Merkel, EU Council President Donald Tusk and Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans visited the Nizip camp on Saturday and inaugurated a child protection centre in Gaziantep.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of thousands of Syrian children in Turkey have still no access to education.<\/p>\n
Davutoglu said Turkey had met all its responsibilities, including giving refugees the right to work. But a work permit scheme for refugees designed to protect them from exploitation has been slow to gain traction.<\/p>\n
Yet Tusk on Saturday praised Turkey as a refugee host.<\/p>\n
“Today Turkey is the best example in the entire world of how to treat refugees. I am proud that we are partners. There is no other way,” he said.<\/p>\n
Amnesty International has said Syrians are being shot at trying to enter Turkey while others are being deported to Syria against their will, a claim Davutoglu refuted on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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