The European Union is ready to engage with Ankara on economic cooperation, migration and people-to-people contacts, European Council President Charles Michel said on Tuesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th April, 2021) The European Union is ready to engage with Ankara on economic cooperation, migration and people-to-people contacts, European Council President Charles Michel said on Tuesday.
Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Turkey to hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Michel said that the EU officials had "frank discussions" with Erdogan on the future of relations between Ankara and Brussesl.
"In recent months we have witnessed a de-escalation. This is a positive development which must be sustained and enhanced. We have told President Erdogan that the EU is ready to put a concrete and positive agenda on the table based on three pillars: economic cooperation, migration, and people-to-people contacts and mobility. Our engagement will be progressive, proportional, and reversible, and we hope Turkey will seize this window of opportunity," Michel said during a press conference.
The president of the European Council also said that the union appreciates Turkey hosting four million Syrian refugees.
"On migration, we appreciate Turkey's hosting of 4 million Syrian refugees and agree EU assistance be continued. The commission will soon present a proposal for the financing for Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon," Michel added.
