Erdogan urges 'concrete support' from Europe over refugee crisis
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey says he is after “concrete support” from European allies amid an ongoing standoff with the European Union over a refugee crisis.
Speaking during a visit to Brussels on Monday, Erdogan blasted Greece for blaming Turkey for the recent migrant crisis.
“It is irrational and inconsiderate that an ally and a neighboring country put the finger of blame on Turkey for the irregulation migration.”
“We will not allow this country to try to get unfair gains by abusing the current situation and the European Union.”
“Our allies should display their solidarity with our country without discrimination and without laying down political conditions,” Erdogan said. “It is very important that the support we demand is met without any further delay.”
On February 28, Turkey said it would let refugees cross its borders into Europe, arguing it could no longer contain the prospect of a fresh influx because of intensified fighting in northwest Syria.
Also, Turkey on Friday accused the European Union of using refugees as political tools and allowing international law to be “trampled,” after EU foreign ministers said they would work to stop illegal migration into the bloc.
On the same day, the EU pleaded with migrants on the Turkish border to stop trying to cross into Greece but dangled the prospect of more aid for Ankara as the standoff entered a second week.
More than 10,000 migrants mostly from Syria and Afghanistan have gathered at the land border between Turkey and Greece hoping to get to western Europe.
On Saturday, Greek police fired tear gas at refugees who responded to the officers by throwing stones and chanted "open the gates," journalists at the scene reported.
Many of the refugees have been stranded for days at the Pazarkule border, known as Kastanies on the Greek side.
Ankara has repeatedly complained that Europe has failed to keep its promises under the 2016 EU-Turkey refugee deal to help migrants.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Erdogan also called on NATO to fulfill previous commitments it has made to bolster Turkey's defenses.
"We expect concrete support from all our allies to this struggle," he said.
"NATO is in a critical process in which it needs to clearly show its alliance solidarity" with Turkey, he added.
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