‘Let them cross’: Turkey’s president defiant on Europe border crisis
Turkey's president, after meeting with EU leaders, says Greece should open its border with Turkey to migrants and then let them cross into other European countries; Russian and Turkish patrols for a new security corridor straddling Syria's M4 highway also are set.
Following a round of tense negotiations with European leaders, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today that he will not prevent migrants and refugees from trying to cross Turkey’s border into Greece.
“We are not thinking of closing these gates. Our proposal to Greece is to open the gates. These people won’t stay in Greece. Let them cross from Greece into other European countries,” Erdogan told reporters.
After Erdogan’s meeting with European Union leaders in Brussels ended in deadlock today, he announced plans to host the leaders of France and Germany for a new round of talks in Istanbul next week. Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu added that Ankara was prepared to reach a deal with the EU before the bloc’s next summit March 26.
"If we are to come up with a road map with the EU, we expect them to be sincere," Cavusoglu told the state-run Anadolu news agency.
