Video conference of European leaders on the refugee crisis, Coronavirus | Voice of america

ISTANBUL / TURKEY – Turkish, French, German and British leaders met Tuesday by videoconference to engage in joint actions on the Syrian refugee crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.

The last-minute conference due to the COVID-19 epidemic replaced an Istanbul summit between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

"We have the opportunity to undertake comprehensive assessments on many issues, from EU-Turkey relations to asylum issues," Erdogan tweeted after the meeting.

Few details on the nature of the cooperation agreed between the leaders have been made public.

The video summit is in response to Erdogan setting off a crisis by opening the Turkish borders with members of the European Union to migrants and refugees living in Turkey. Turkey hosts nearly 4 million Syrians and Erdogan insists that his country can no longer cope.

In 2015, Ankara made a similar decision, causing more than a million people to flee to neighboring Greece and Bulgaria, triggering a refugee crisis across Europe.

The exodus has spurred the EU agreement on a 2016 migration agreement with Turkey. Ankara then secured its borders, considerably limiting migrants entering Europe.

The threat of a new exodus of refugees to Europe is widely regarded as Erdogan's most important lever on European leaders.

"In the past, Europe has panicked, especially Germany, with the threat that Turkey will open its borders to refugees, and they have tried to appease Turkey," said Germany. 39; analyst Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners.

However, Greece and Bulgaria, strongly supported by Brussels, have vigorously resisted the last mass movements of migrants in their countries, after Erdogan opening the borders of Turkey.

Erdogan described the tactics of the Greek border forces as "similar to that of the Nazis". New York-based Human Rights Watch on Tuesday also condemned Greek methods used to prevent migrants from entering Greece.

"The European Union is hiding behind a shield against the abuse of the Greek security forces instead of helping Greece protect asylum seekers and relocate them safely throughout the country ; EU, "said Nadia Hardman, refugee rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The EU should protect people in need rather than supporting forces that beat, steal, strip and dump asylum seekers and migrants across the river."

While arousing international condemnation, Athens' success in securing its borders and limiting the number of migrants entering Greece seems to have weakened the influence of Ankara on Brussels.

"Turkish President Erdogan has threatened all these years to release these refugees to the EU, and ultimately he did. But it was a fiasco," said political scientist Cengiz Aktar of the EU. 39; University of Athens. He used his trump in his hand and he failed. The Greeks reacted, the EU reacted and, in the end, showed a firm position towards Erdogan. "

Earlier this month, Erdogan left Brussels empty-handed after meeting with Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, president of the European Council.

Erdogan is pressuring the EU to not only pay what he claims to be a remaining € 3 billion owed under the 2016 migrant deal, but also to Other funding in the future. With a slowing economy, compounded by escalating costs of the coronavirus, analysts say Ankara is in urgent need of funds.

With reports that migrants have ended their candidacy to enter EU countries and return to Turkish cities, Brussels is expected to provide additional funding.

"The tension is fading. We understand that there are fewer and fewer people at the [Greek] border," said Aktar. "After [Tuesday] the video meeting, the EU could find funding, but not now. Perhaps later, with 1 or 2 billion [euros] later this year."

Analysts suggest that Erdogan's main priority is to avoid a new wave of Syrian refugees. Damascus forces threaten to submerge Idlib, the last rebel-controlled province.

A provisional ceasefire was reached between Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month. But the deal is widely regarded as providing only temporary respite for the estimated 4 million people trapped in Idlib.

"Ceasefire with Russian guarantees has not been a ceasefire," said US Ambassador to Turkey David Satterfield during a press briefing in March. "These were temporary and transactional stops until Russia was ready to renew the campaign."

Erdogan is using the ceasefire to gain the support of critical European members of NATO for his proposal for a refuge in Idlib.

In a gesture in Ankara, Merkel expressed support for the idea that a haven preventing a further exodus of refugees is of crucial importance to Erdogan.

"If they [Syrian refugees] cannot return, they will go to Turkey, exacerbating AKP's problems with voters," said Yesilada. Poll after poll, the Turks accuse Syrian refugees of unemployment and social friction. "

Analysts point out that there is little appetite among NATO members to confront the Russian forces based in Syria. But with Europe and Ankara increasingly focused on solving the coronavirus crisis, analysts predict all parties will be sensitive to a compromise on the refugee crisis, especially given the dangers these people face. vulnerable are facing the pandemic.

"The pandemic is a top priority for everyone. This extra 1 or 2 billion euros that the EU could give could well be intended to help Turkey for its refugees in the fight against the pandemic. "