Erdogan Attacks EU Refugee Policy

A United Nations conference on refugees has begun in Istanbul. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, and many other world leaders are participating in this conference. Erdogan has called for greater European cooperation with Turkey.

The United Nations conference in Istanbul regarding urgent assistance to refugees began on Monday (May 23). Many leaders from different countries around the world, including Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, participated in this conference to find solutions for improving global cooperation in helping refugees.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, prior to this conference, in an article published in the British newspaper The Guardian, while commending his country’s activities in this regard, called for greater European cooperation with Turkey on the issue of refugees.

Erdogan wrote in this article that the images circulated around the world showing refugees at country borders, the bodies of children on seashores, or poor and destitute people, are all symbols of the displacement of people coming from crisis-stricken countries in the world; countries such as Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

The President of Turkey continued in this article, writing that “Turkey is a safe shore for refugees” and this country still remains the most generous country in the world in this regard.

Erdogan, while praising his country’s policy of accepting approximately three million Syrian refugees, criticized the global community and said that international responsibilities have been largely neglected and countries around the world have closed their eyes to Bashar Assad’s crimes, the dictator of Syria.

Erdogan in his article, criticizing European countries, said that only after Syrian refugees reached European countries did these countries react and agree to negotiate on this matter, leading to an agreement between the European Union and Turkey.

According to the agreement between the European Union and Turkey, all refugees who illegally enter Greece from March 20 onwards are sent back to Turkey. For each refugee taken back, Europe legally accepts one Syrian refugee from Turkey.

Turkey wants visa requirements for its citizens traveling to European countries to be abolished in return for its cooperation with Europe in curbing the refugee wave, and at the same time, to expedite Turkey’s accession process to the European Union.

However, the implementation of this agreement has faced many difficulties.

Erdogan in his Guardian article called for greater cooperation between the European Union and Turkey, saying that this union should increase its cooperation with Turkey so that as a result of this cooperation, the Assad regime as well as the “Islamic State” would be eliminated and democracy could flourish in Syria.

Erdogan’s Silence and Threats

The President of Turkey remained silent on the matter that Turkish soldiers fired on refugees at the border with Syria and wrote nothing about it in his article.

The President of Turkey also provided no explanation as to why Turkish authorities do not send educated refugees to Europe.

Erdogan’s article was written at a time when his advisors and close associates in Turkey are constantly engaged in threatening the European Union. Iyit Bulut, one of Erdogan’s advisors, announced before the United Nations conference was held in Istanbul that if no progress is made in Turkey’s relations with the European Union, the country will consider its agreements with this union on the refugee issue as terminated.

Burhan Kutsu, advisor to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, also announced on Wednesday (May 11) regarding the European Parliament session that this parliament faces an important decision.

Kutsu wrote on Twitter: “If the European Parliament makes the wrong decision, we will send refugees towards Europe.”