Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey could not shoulder the responsibility of third countries vis-à-vis Afghans who have worked for Western institutions and who are waiting to be evacuated following the takeover of the Taliban. “
We have received a request to host local staff from a European Union mission in Afghanistan. Member States only open their doors to a tiny fraction of the people who have served them and who are in difficulty. (...) Turkey should not be expected to take responsibility for third countries
,
”
said Erdogan in a telephone conversation with European Council President Charles Michel, according to a presidency statement. Turkish.
See also Afghan refugees: "A biased controversy"
The Turkish head of state reiterated, the day after similar remarks he made during a conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, that "Turkey, which is already hosting 5 million refugees, cannot bear a burden. additional migration ”.
Charles Michel, for his part, said on Twitter that he had discussed with Mr. Erdogan "recent developments" in Afghanistan, which he described as "a common challenge for Turkey and the EU".
“Full understanding of the need to ensure the safe evacuation of nationals, local staff as well as families and to provide support to vulnerable Afghans and host communities in the region,”
he said .
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday urged all countries, primarily European countries, to welcome some of the Afghan refugees exfiltrated from Kabul.
Erdogan, for his part, estimated on Saturday that it would be "unrealistic" for the EU to have additional expectations from Turkey regarding the reception of migrants as long as the Turkey-EU agreement is not fully applied.
Ankara regularly criticizes the EU for not respecting this agreement signed in 2016 to stop the influx of migrants to Europe and wants its revision.
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