(ANSA) - ISTANBUL, 13 JAN - "Without Turkey's action, Europe and Syria today would experience a totally different situation and the migration crisis would be much deeper, there would be more terrorism and instability". This was stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting with the Turkish ambassadors of the European Union (EU) countries in Ankara.
"Despite its efforts to tackle the migration crisis, Turkey has not managed to get adequate support from the EU," said the Turkish president asking for an update of the 2016 agreement for which Brussels allocates funds to Ankara to support the management of refugees who are in Turkish territory - according to official data at least 3 million and 700 thousand Syrians - and in exchange for the closure of the borders for migrants who try to reach the EU illegally from Turkey.
"We expect Europe to share the burden of this situation with us equally," said Erdogan, citing a lack of support from Brussels in plans to return Syrian refugees in Turkey to their homeland.
The Turkish president also asked for "a stronger voice from the EU" against alleged push-backs of migrants who try to reach the Greek islands near the Turkish coast by Athens, who are often denounced by the Ankara authorities.
(HANDLE).
