The heads of state and government of the EU countries have instructed the European Commission (EC) to prepare new financial assistance to Turkey for Syrian refugees. This, as Trend reports with reference to TASS, is said in the statement of the EU summit.
“The European Council calls on the European Commission to immediately submit a proposal for further financial support for Syrian refugees and host communities in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and other parts of the region as part of the EU migration policy,” it says.
As stated in the document, the EU is interested in developing cooperation and mutually beneficial relations with Ankara. “The European Council reaffirms the EU’s readiness to interact with Turkey in stages, proportionally, in order to strengthen cooperation in a number of areas of common interest,” it says.
Earlier, Reuters reported, citing sources, that the European Union is considering allocating € 3.5 billion to Turkey to continue receiving Syrian refugees until 2024. The financial support is part of a total aid package of more than € 5.7 billion for Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, Reuters points out. The funds are planned to be directed to humanitarian projects. According to the agency, about 4 million refugees are currently living in Turkey.
The EU and Turkey signed an agreement in March 2016 that provides for measures to reduce the flow of illegal migrants from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.