{"id":27813,"date":"2015-09-23T19:17:26","date_gmt":"2015-09-23T19:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.firdevstalkturkey.com\/?p=27813"},"modified":"2015-09-23T19:17:26","modified_gmt":"2015-09-23T19:17:26","slug":"the-eu-turns-to-turkey-for-an-instant-remedy-for-its-refugee-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.firdevstalkturkey.com\/the-eu-turns-to-turkey-for-an-instant-remedy-for-its-refugee-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"The EU turns to Turkey for an instant remedy for its refugee crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"
It has now become clear that the solution to Europe\u2019s refugee and migration crisis lies not in quotas and allocations but in how to stop them coming here in the first place. Long term strategy to end the crisis can wait. For now, an emergency treatment is needed and the sticking plaster for Europe seems to come in the shape of Turkey.<\/p>\n
Fearful that millions of potential refugees may be heading for Europe, the most burning question is how to regain control of the European Union\u2019s external borders.<\/p>\n
The first step is to stem the flow of refugees, right now mainly Syrians, leaving the countries of first asylum, among them Turkey. Offering more financial and logistic help for Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and other countries in the region to improve conditions for the refugees living in those countries will be one of the priorities.<\/p>\n
The aim is to contain the refugees in the region and help facilitate their return to their home towns as soon as feasible. \u00a0In the meantime, the host countries would be given aid to provide jobs, education and healthcare for people living in the camps and communities to keep them comfortable enough to stay where they are.<\/p>\n
In this plan, Turkey appears to be the key country to become the EU\u2019s refugee buffer zone. The EU says it will increase its financial aid significantly and is ready to mobilise \u20ac1billion for Turkey. \u00a0There will be additional support through the World Food Programme and the UNCHR.<\/p>\n
Turkey is likely to welcome any serious burden sharing with its 2 million-plus refugee population. How satisfied it will be by being considered as a \u201csticking plaster\u201d for Europe\u2019s growing wound is another matter.\u00a0 Turkey has been closely involved in Syria\u2019s conflict. Even if its leaders may have given up their ambition to pray in Damascus anytime soon, Turkey still argues that Bashar al-Assad can have no role in Syria\u2019s future, thus dismissing any suggestion of launching a political dialogue with the Syrian president.<\/p>\n
EU leaders meeting in Brussels for their emergency summit on Wednesday may have widely differing opinions on the nature of their union but they all share a common interest in managing the refugee crisis and maintaining their public\u2019s support.<\/p>\n