Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.23
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkey's opportunities to help Syrian refugees are limited, Egemen Bagis, former Turkish minister for the EU affairs exclusively told Trend Sept.23.
Currently, the majority of Syrian refugees are trying to flee to Europe through Turkey and Jordan, said the former minister, adding that Turkey's attitude to the refugees is incomparable with that of police and law enforcement agencies in European countries.
He expressed hope that the international forces will first of all make every effort to ensure stability in Syria.
Bagis also noted that the EU decision on Syrian refugees shows that the EU members, even those which don't want to let the refugees in, will owe to accept them.
This year's influx of nearly half a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Asia and Africa has already sparked unseemly disputes over border controls as well as bitter recriminations over how to share out responsibility.
In order to solve the problem, the EU approved a controversial plan on Sept.23 to relocate 120,000 migrants across the continent over the next two years.
Bagis added that the number of Syrian refugees in Europe is incomparable with that of Turkey and Jordan.
Currently, over 2 million Syrian refugees are in Turkey.
The Syrian refugee camps in Turkey accommodate about 300,000 people. The rest of them are spread throughout the provinces and cities of Turkey. In Istanbul alone, there are currently 40,000 refugees from Syria.
Ankara has so far spent at least $5.5 billion to support the Syrian refugees, according to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
Edited by SI
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