Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Aug. 21 that his country would not be able to cope with an “additional burden of migrants” arriving from Afghanistan.
“A new wave of migration is inevitable if the necessary measures are not taken in Afghanistan and in Iran,” Erdoğan said during a telephone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“Turkey, which already has five million refugees, cannot take an additional burden of migrants,” he told Merkel.
Erdoğan made similar comments to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday.
Erdoğan also accused Brussels of being “evasive” with regard to Ankara’s request to revise a 2016 deal between Turkey and the European Union aimed at stemming flows of would-be refugees.
Signed in 2015 during the EU’s migrant crisis, the accord allows “irregular” migrants reaching the Greek islands to be returned to Turkey in exchange for aid.
The EU also pledged to work with Ankara on upgrading an existing customs union and on paving the way for Turkey’s eventual accession to the bloc.
Turkey further wants visa-free travel to EU nations and the resumption of regular summits between the two sides.
But Ankara has regularly accused the EU of not keeping to the terms of the accord.
Merkel’s office, for its part, responded by saying that the evacuation of people from Afghanistan remains “the top priority”.
The two leaders agreed to “close cooperation to support the work of international organizations, in particular U.N. refugee aid agencies, in Afghanistan and in neighboring countries,” said a spokeswoman for Merkel.
Meanwhile, the presidents of Turkey and Russia discussed the situation in Afghanistan in a phone call on Aug. 21.
Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed regional issues, especially steps to improve Turkey-Russia relations and developments in Afghanistan, according to a statement by Turkey’s Communications Directorate.
The two leaders expressed mutual condolences for the Turkish and Russian crew who died in the Russian plane that crashed while fighting a fire in Turkey’s southern Kahramanmaraş province last week.
Both countries attach great importance to cooperation in the energy sector, Erdoğan noted, saying Turkey expects a rise in the flow of gas from TurkAkım.
Addressing the developments in Afghanistan, he added that Turkey can in the future continue to take the responsibility of maintaining the security and operating of the Kabul airport under relevant conditions, which will contribute to the elimination of concerns of all parties, particularly the international public and Afghan people.
He stressed that Turkey wishes for a smooth transition in Afghanistan, stressing that it is important that the Taliban do not repeat their past mistakes, be inclusive, representing the diversity of the Afghan people, and implement their promises.
Erdoğan also noted that the launch of peace and security talks between Taliban and Afghan leaders in Kabul is promising, recalling that in this process, the channels of dialogue with the Taliban should be kept open, and a gradual engagement should be followed, rather than implementing a strict approach.
For now, Turkey welcomes the moderate messages given by the Taliban, but the actions of the group, not their words, will shape the upcoming process, the Turkish president said.
The leaders also agreed to be in coordination regarding relations with the future government of Afghanistan.
Erdoğan and Putin agreed to “strengthen bilateral coordination on the Afghan issue,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
They stressed the importance of ensuring stability, peace, and order in the country, it added.
Both leaders agreed that efforts to combat terrorism and drug trafficking must be a top priority, read the statement.
Erdoğan and Putin also spoke about bilateral relations, including trade and economic cooperation, and collaboration in the energy sector, the Kremlin said.
Erdoğan also spoke over the phone with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, according to Turkey’s Communications Directorate on Aug. 21.
Erdoğan and al-Kadhimi discussed the two countries’ relations and regional issues.
During the meeting, Turkey is content with the positive course of bilateral relations in the commercial, military, and intelligence fields, Erdoğan said, adding that the cooperation in fighting terrorism should be strengthened.
Erdoğan also stressed that the PKK terror group continues its existence in Qandil, northern Iraq, as well as in the Mahmur and Sinjar regions, which are directly under the control of the central government.
In a recent operation held in these regions used by the terrorist PKK and its affiliates, Turkey targeted only the members of the terror group, as it has always done before, he said.
The target was not a hospital or health center as claimed by the terrorist organization, but one of the organization’s shelters, Erdoğan noted.
The PKK terror group often uses bases in northern Iraq, just across Turkey’s southern border, to hide and plot terror attacks in Turkey.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU- has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
