Turkey has agreed to accept the return of economic migrants, EU sources on Friday said in exclusive statements to ANA-MPA.
The decision will be included in the statement of the EU summit on Monday in Brussels, they said, adding however that Turkey will not accept the return of refugees from war zones.
According to Financial Times, the EU is close to a breakthrough deal with Ankara that would see all non-Syrian migrants reaching Greek islands returned to Turkey, marking a crucial step in the bloc’s hardening stance against the flow of people pouring into its territories. Citing two diplomats familiar with the discussion on Thursday, it also said that Turkey agreed to accept all migrants rescued in international waters by a NATO mission.
Meanwhile, over 6,238 identified refugees and migrants are currently on the northeastern Aegean islands waiting to be transferred to the port of Piraeus.
The number of identified refugees on Lesvos reached 4,067.
Sources: ANA MPA
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