Merkel: EU-Turkey agreement over refugees serves interests of both sides

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that the EU-Turkey agreement regarding the refugee crisis serves the interests of both sides, noting that Ankara bore much burden due to the ongoing war in Syria, Anadolu reported.

Merkel’s remarks came during a joint press conference held in Berlin with the Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.

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She said that the political solution of the ongoing war in Syria serves the interests of both Turkey and the European Union, noting the importance of dividing the burden of the refugees and organising their movement.

Under the agreement between the EU and Turkey, all “irregular migrants” arriving in Greece from Turkey since 20 March face being sent back. For every Syrian refugee returned, another Syrian refugee will theoretically be resettled from Turkey to the EU.