Calamos Supports Greece
GreekReporter.comGreeceGreek and Turkish PM's Announce Cooperation on Refugee Crisis

Greek and Turkish PM's Announce Cooperation on Refugee Crisis

tsipras davutoglu
With the Aegean Sea having been the main gateway for the 820,000 migrants and refugees that have entered Europe this year, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu proclaimed that the two countries will cooperate to curb migrant smuggling operations in the Aegean Sea.
During a joint press conference in Ankara, Davutoglu noted that neither Turkey nor Greece will carry the burden of the refugee crisis alone, underlining that the problem begins with the war in Syria.
The United Nations estimated that by November 13, 673,916 seaborne migrants and refugees have arrived on Greek soil, with the vast majority crossing from the Turkish shores to the East Aegean Greek islands.
The Greek Government has adamantly rejected the possibility of the conduction of joint sea patrols by the Greek and Turkish coast guards. However, Tsipras and Davutoglu declared that there will be a “technical coordination” to dismantle smuggler routes in the Aegean. The Greek Prime Minister noted that ministries from the two countries will cooperate with each other and form committees to this end.
Tsipras’s visit to Turkey follows Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris, which have affected discussions on the refugee crisis. The government of FYROM noted that it plans to erect a fence on the border with Greece, thus blocking the Balkan route into western Europe.
The two prime ministers avoided being confrontational. Though Tsipras did mention that he spoke with Davutoglu about the Turkish airforce and navy violating Greek airspace and waters, Davutoglu noted that the two countries should refrain from accusing each other and focus on cooperating.
They instead spoke about strengthening the ties between the two countries. Tsipras noted that a mosque will open in Athens to accommodate Muslims in Greece as well as Muslim tourists.
The Greek Prime Minister also noted that he discussed the Cyprus problem with his Turkish counterpart, and called for a viable solution, under the United Nations’s decisions, that will protect the reunified island’s citizens. Negotiation over the reunification of the island, which has been divided since 1974 following a Turkish invasion, recommenced this past May.
The two prime ministers had attended the friendly soccer fixture between Turkey and Greece in Istanbul on Tuesday. The game was marred by boos that echoed throughout the stadium during both the Greek national Anthem and the moment of silence held in honor of the victims of the Paris attacks.
Tsipras will meet with Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan later in the day.
Tsipras Meets the Patriarch
Prior to his press conference in Ankara, Tsipras met with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul.
The prime minister praised the Patriarch for his efforts to create an inter-religious dialogue and promote peace during a time in which religions are being used as an excuse to carry out violent attacks.
“Religions should unite persons, they should elevate love toward our fellow humans, not hatred and violence,” he said.
Tsipras also referred to the Paris attacks and noted that while everyone grieves and worries about the situation, Europe must not let terrorism deviate it from its values. 
“We want Europe to be an open space, a space of freedom, of free movement of persons and ideas and that is why it must not become an enclosed space, a fortress within which people live in fear,” Tsipras said.
The Ecumenical Patriarch informed Tsipras that a conference of representatives of the major monotheistic religions will take place in Brussels in the first half of 2016.

See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!



Related Posts