Pioneers of the European Union met Turkish premier Ahmet Davutoglu in Brussels on Sunday to conclude an agreement worked out by diplomats over the previous month, as Europeans battle to limit the strain on their 28-country alliance from taking in a huge number of Syrian refugees.
A key element is 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) in EU help for the 2.2 million Syrians now in Turkey. The cash is planned to raise their expectations for everyday living thus induce a greater amount of them to stay put rather than to attempt perilous intersections to the EU by means of the Greek islands.
The last offer of an initial 3 billion euros represents a compromise between the EU, which offered that total more than two years, and Turkey, which needed it consistently. Presently the cash, as French President Francois Hollande said, will be paid out a little bit at a time as conditions are met, leaving the total payout unclear.
Additionally on offer to Ankara, this needs to restore relations with its European neighbors after quite a while of coolness as it faces trouble in the Middle East and from Russia, is a "re-energized" negotiating procedure on Turkish membership of the EU, regardless of the fact that few anticipate that it will join soon.
Numerous Turks could likewise profit from visa-free travel to Europe's Schengen zone within a year if Turkey meets conditions on fixing its borders in the east to Asian migrants and moves different benchmarks on decreasing flights to Europe.
Aware of a sense of desperation in Europe for an answer to a crisis that has raised doubt about its own cohesion and the future of its Schengen passport-free travel zone, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has driven a hard deal.
The deal includes Turkish help, including through naval patrols and border checks, in taking care of the flow of migrants to the EU, anticipated that would reach 1.5 million individuals this year alone.
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