European Union leaders to press Turkey, back Greece at migrant summit

The sides would also discuss the quota of refugees from Turkey expected to be resettled in Europe.

Migrants mob a truck bringing donated firewood at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Sunday, March 6, 2016.

Derek Gatopoulos in Athens and Elena Becatoros on the Greek-Macedonia border contributed.

(AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis). People wait in queues to receive food distributed by non-governmental organizations at the Athens' port of Piraeus where over 2,000 stranded refugees and migrants stay at the passenger terminal buildings and their tents, ...

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Parliament President Martin Schulz pose upon their arrival for the EU leaders summit with Turkey on the migrants crisis.

Most notably, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will face regional elections this coming Sunday.

Hitting back at criticism by eastern European states over Greece's failure to stem migrant flows, Tsipras questioned the wisdom of admitting these countries into the EU a decade ago.

A regional governor called on the Greek government Saturday to declare a state of emergency for the area surrounding the Idomeni border crossing where thousands of migrants are stranded due to border restrictions along the route toward western Europe.

Merkel said Monday that there needs to be a "sustainable solution" that involves protecting the EU's external borders, and "that can only be done in cooperation with Turkey". "This decision could be taken only by other competent worldwide bodies, not by border authorities", she said, adding she couldn't explain the latest move.

Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters Sunday before departing for a Turkey-EU summit in Brussels that the escalating crisis in Syria has meant that the reduction has been slow.

European Union leaders have also pledged 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey, as well as promising to relax visa requirements for Turkish citizens seeking to live and work in Europe.

Davutoglu said he hopes the summit will mark a turning point in EU-Turkey ties.

The EU is desperate to halt the flow of migrants crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece.

Numerous preferred destinations for migrants, like Germany and Scandinavia, have reintroduced border controls, threatening the future of the Schengen passport-free area so vital to trade and travel. "It will not solve the crisis but it is a necessary pre-condition for a European consensus", he said.

Michael Fallon told the BBC on Monday that Cameron will urge other European Union leaders to deliver on millions of euros (dollars) in pledges. "We are having difficulty providing food and healthcare", said Baloch.

Britain has pledged to back a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation operation meant to provide information about smugglers to halt their actions.

The bloc has offered several sweeteners to get Turkish authorities to crack down on migrant movements.

The Greek government announced on Sunday that it would set up a health centre for refugees massing on the border with the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia, DPA reported.

"With the border closed to refugees and flows to the islands continuing, it is clear that relocation to other countries is urgent and must start immediately in high numbers".

European Union leaders will tomorrow pledge to close down the route from Greece through the Balkans where more than 985,000 have travelled since the start of a year ago. "If there are agreements that are not implemented there are not agreements at all".

Merkel said Sunday in an interview with the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that Greece should have created accommodation for up to 50,000 refugees at the end of past year and needs to quickly make up for lost time.

"We are not pointing the finger to any other peoples or countries of Europe".

Tsipras said that Europe must "have a credible relocation process". Thousands are stranded in the area.

Macedonian police said the checks and profiling of refugees wanting to cross "are carried out by mixed teams of police officers from all countries of the (Balkan) route".

At least 18 dead as migrant boat sinks off TurkeySome 30,000 people are now trapped at Greek borders, waiting for Macedonia to reopen its frontiers so they can head to Germany. Late Sunday evening, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch Premier Mark Rutte met with Davutoglu to prepare for the summit.

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Source: European Union leaders to press Turkey, back Greece at migrant summit