Migrant crisis: EU leaders cautious on Turkey deal

EU leaders trying to finalise a deal with Turkey on the migrant crisis have warned of the difficulties they face at the start of a summit in Brussels. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said negotiations would be "complicated" but the direction was clear.

A makeshift camp for refugees at the Greek-Macedonian border is housing thousands

The proposed deal would see all migrants travelling to Greece from Turkey sent back. In return the EU might offer Turkey incentives, including financial aid and visa-free access to Schengen countries.
The aim is to establish a joint position of all 28 EU member states before talks with the Turkish prime minister on Friday.

The migrants' onward travel to northern Europe is now blocked by Balkan border closures

But Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite warned that the plan to return people to Turkey was "on the edge of international law" and difficult to implement. And Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said he could not accept negotiations that looked like blackmail.


Since January 2015, a million migrants and refugees have entered the EU by boat from Turkey to Greece. More than 132,000 have arrived this year alone. Tens of thousands are now stuck in Greece as their route north has been blocked.

"Germany will negotiate intensively because we have to improve the humanitarian situation in Greece," Mrs Merkel said.

• Obstacles in way of migrant deal
• Turkey has EU over a barrel
• Could Turkey carry out the migrant plan?
• Crisis explained in seven charts
• Key migrant crisis questions answered
• Have previous EU migrant deals delivered?

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said if a deal could be reached the influx of migrants from Turkey to the Greek islands could be stopped "in three to four weeks".

Under initial proposals, for each Syrian migrant returned to Turkey, a different Syrian would be resettled in the EU directly from the country. In return, the EU would double financial aid to Turkey promised last year, make a fresh push on talks over Turkey's eventual membership of the EU and offer visa-free travel to Europe's Schengen states.

However, those proposals have since been watered down, lowering expectation on greater financial help and talks on EU membership and linking visa-free travel to 72 conditions to which Turkey must agree.

EU member Cyprus has threatened to veto a deal. The Greek Cypriot government is not recognised by Turkey. The Spanish foreign minister has said Spain will oppose the "blanket return" of refugees to Turkey.