European Union, Turkey reach deal to ease Europe's migrant crisis
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as well as leaders of the 28-member European Union have reached an agreement aimed at easing the European migrant crisis by offering concessions to Ankara, Al Jazeera reports. Turkey has agreed to receive financial and political concessions in exchange for accepting all refugees who reached Greek islands off its coast. The E.U. will also increase aid to Syrians in Turkey and consider letting Turks visit Europe without visas, among other agreements.
Going into the negotiating, both sides were hesitant to hope for a successful deal. "The E.U. and Turkey have the same goal, the same objective, to help Syrian refugees especially. This is our purpose. I am sure, I hope, we will be achieving our goal," Davutoglu said.
The human rights organization Amnesty International has protested the deal. Outside the summit, activists reportedly projected on a large screen, "Don't trade refugees. Stop the deal."
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Over a million people have fled to Europe from the Middle East in the past year alone.
