Getting Turkey migrant deal 'working' is top EU priority, Dutch PM tells euronews

[webfact]

Getting Turkey migrant deal 'working' is top EU priority, Dutch PM tells euronews



"All energy now is focused on getting the deal with Turkey working, on building the hot spot and reception capacity in Greece and Italy... that will be all of the focus over the next two months"

BRUSSELS: -- The migrant crisis, the economy, terrorism. These are just some of the big issues in Europe, as the Netherlands takes over the rotating EU presidency.

Euronews reporter Olaf Bruns has spoken to the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte about the challenges that lie ahead during his country’s six year term.

Olaf Bruns, euronews: “Prime Minister, EU leaders have been struggling for months to reach an agreement to relocate 160-thousand refugees which are stranded in Italy and in Greece.

“To this moment, not even 300 of them have been relocated and none of them to the Netherlands. So what can be done to get this relocation scheme back on track under the Dutch presidency?”

Mark Rutte, Dutch Prime Minister: “Well if they would be stranded in Italy and Greece, it would be relatively easy to get the scheme going. The problem is that they are not stranded, they come into Greece and then they and go on and continue in the West Balkans, comes through Slovenia, Austria into mostly Germany or Sweden and sometimes the Netherlands and Belgium.

“So what we need to do is to build reception capacity and the hot spots in Greece, Italy is a bit, is one or two steps further now, but still a lot more needs to be done there and only when they have been established, you can relocate people from these hot spots over the rest of the European Union.”

euronews: “Prime Minister, Sweden and Denmark are re-establishing border controls, other countries have done so before, others might be follow.

“It seems that the whole existence of the Schengen zone is under threat. Now, you have proposed, in November, to cut down the members of the Schengen zone to five, what is the plan now to save the Schengen zone?”

Mark Rutte, Dutch Prime Minister: “Well there is no Dutch proposal as you stated it. What we have said is that we have to think about a situation where the influx of refugees stays at a high level it is currently, even now in winter, with the risk of a spike again in the spring, and then you have to think about what are the alternatives to what ifs, and I cannot go into the what ifs are I am thinking of.

“All energy now is focused on getting the deal with Turkey working, on building the hot spot and reception capacity in Greece and Italy, so that will be all of the focus over the next two months.”

euronews: “In April there will be a referendum in the Netherlands on the EU-Ukraine Association Treaty, how would you deal with a negative outcome which is likely to happen?”

Mark Rutte, Dutch Prime Minister: “Well we are of course working on a positive outcome and this is not a referendum the Dutch government called, there is a law in the Netherlands where so many people, through signatures, can force a referendum, a consultative referendum on a particular issue. This is what happened here.

“And we will make it clear and explain to the Dutch public why we put our signature under this treaty, its because its in the Dutch interest. To one, have a free trade agreement with Ukraine, we are a trading nation, we can earn a lot of money when Ukraine is more successful than it is currently, it’s in the Dutch interest.

“And secondly, because it is all about building the state, the rule of law, implementing all of the human rights, well the things we have fought for in the European Union.

“Some of the people against it think it is a first step to membership, it is not. We have these association agreements with countries in middle America, in the Middle East, and they are not applying for membership. Maybe for the Eurovision song contest, but not for the European Union.”

euronews: “But still, if there is a negative outcome, how will the government react?”

Mark Rutte, Dutch Prime Minister: “Well formally then we have to take a position because this is a consultative referendum, then the law requires the government to take a position and put this to the Dutch parliament.

“How we will deal with the outcome of the referendum and that we will decide after the 6th of April, after the referendum, and of course your question assumes there will be a negative outcome and I will put all of my energy in coming to a positive outcome.”


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-01-08

[cooked]

Gloom, misery and despair at this short sighted stupidity. Yes, some industrialists may earn more by allowing illiterate and unskilled immigrants into the EU, which already has a housing and jobs crisis. Never mind what the majority of Europeans that have had direct contact with these people think, Sieg Heil.

[NongKhaiKid]

What's part of the cost of a deal with Turkey, fast tracking and completing their membership of the EU on their terms ?

[SgtRock]

NongKhaiKid, on 08 Jan 2016 - 07:26, said:

What's part of the cost of a deal with Turkey, fast tracking and completing their membership of the EU on their terms ?

In a word.

YES.

[simple1]

What's part of the cost of a deal with Turkey, fast tracking and completing their membership of the EU on their terms ?

Have any media reports defined the timeline for fast tracking Turkey's EU membership application? By way of background from the application commencement in 1987 out of 35 “policy chapters” which all EU candidate countries must successfully negotiate prior to membership only 13 have been opened and only one has been successfully closed so far. For 2016 only an additional 5 or 6 chapters have been proposed for negotiation.

Turkey has 'demanded' 3.3 billion euros a year contribution to assist with refugee support costs. To put this is perspective as of mid 2015 Turkey had spent 6 billion euros, with an expected ongoing monthly cost of 500 million for refugees within its territory.

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/10/turkey-syria-refugees-spent-billion-in-three-months.html

[cooked]

What's part of the cost of a deal with Turkey, fast tracking and completing their membership of the EU on their terms ?

Have any media reports defined the timeline for fast tracking Turkey's EU membership application? By way of background from the application commencement in 1987 out of 35 “policy chapters” which all EU candidate countries must successfully negotiate prior to membership only 13 have been opened and only one has been successfully closed so far. For 2016 only an additional 5 or 6 chapters have been proposed for negotiation.

Turkey has 'demanded' 3.3 billion euros a year contribution to assist with refugee support costs. To put this is perspective as of mid 2015 Turkey had spent 6 billion euros, with an expected ongoing monthly cost of 500 million for refugees within its territory.

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/10/turkey-syria-refugees-spent-billion-in-three-months.html

Personally I don't believe that Turkey will ever become a member of the EU, the human rights issue for one is a major hindrance.

However look at Switzerland. They also are not members of the EU but they have all kinds of bilateral agreements with the EU and are members of Schengen, mainly because most of their export customers are in Europe.

The Turks in Germany are not in general integrated despite their having been there for many years, and that isn't only because they are Muslims. Big problems in many schools, but hell, who cares about European kids?

There is of course an alternative, close the doors.

[Krataiboy]

This is ridiculous. None of these refugees should be stranded in Italy or Greece or in any other European country. They should have been offered refuge by neighbouring Arab nataions (as was their right under UN charter) who speak their language and share their culture religion. IS's should never have been allowed to grow into the disruptive force it is today.

Why should Europe's fragile economies and increasingly discontent and downtrodden working millions be forced to bear the brunt of this exodus and offer permanent shelter to people who mostly neither speak our languages, embrace our culture or religion or have interest at all in anything other than their own immediate and ongoing needs for their families?

Charity should begin at home, and in the case of my homeland, the UK, the priority should be deserving domestic causes such as the millions of children living in poverty and the plight of hard-up pensioners, some 30,000 of whom will die this winter because they cannot afford sufficient heating for their homes.

There are signs that combined NATO and Russian air ops and better-coordinated ground attacks are traducing the fundamentalist forces. Within a few months, if the present situation continues, IS should no longer be a viable threat and, with UN assistance, the work can begin on repairing damaged infrastructure and recreating the essentials for normal life in the areas from which refugees have fled.

The next move should be to encourage all those refugees roughing it in Greece, Italy and other European countries to return to their homelands, if necessary with financial incentives to do so.

After the New Year's Eve events in Germany and elsewhere, allowing countless thousands of young Muslim male refugees - who constitute the majority of those who make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean to Europe - to join their compatriots in countries with cultures they clearly despise and are going to be unhappy in is a recipe for disaster.

[chilli42]

They should all be relocated to Muslim countries ... <deleted> are the European governments thinking? Kissing Turkiye's backside is not going to acheive this outcome.

[Baerboxer]

What's part of the cost of a deal with Turkey, fast tracking and completing their membership of the EU on their terms ?

Turkey - illegally sends it's troops into Iraq to further its own interests

Turkey - allows its nationals to profit from illegal people trafficking of migrants into the EU.

Turkey - shoots down a Russian plane, arguably to protect its illegal oil dealings with ISIL

Turkey - allows recruits and weapons to cross its borders for ISIL.

Turkey - illegally trades in oil bought from ISIL, possible with direct involvement of the presidential family.

Turkey - suppresses freedom of speech, media being intimidated, assaulted and sued.

Turkey - officials harass opposition parties.

Turkey- current government doing all they can to move away from a secular constitution to becoming an Islamic Republic.

Turkey - illegally occupies part of Cyprus, which is an EU country.

Turkey is only prepared to act lawfully, ethically and morally, in respect to migrants, people trafficking, exploitation if, it is bribed by the EU and price is big enough.

Yep, you can see why some EU politicians want to fast track them to full EU membership.

[Mr Moo]

Can someone please hurry up and invent "The force field" so that we can shut this scum out without risking the lives of our own people.

[Travelman868]

What's part of the cost of a deal with Turkey, fast tracking and completing their membership of the EU on their terms ?

Have any media reports defined the timeline for fast tracking Turkey's EU membership application? By way of background from the application commencement in 1987 out of 35 “policy chapters” which all EU candidate countries must successfully negotiate prior to membership only 13 have been opened and only one has been successfully closed so far. For 2016 only an additional 5 or 6 chapters have been proposed for negotiation.

Turkey has 'demanded' 3.3 billion euros a year contribution to assist with refugee support costs. To put this is perspective as of mid 2015 Turkey had spent 6 billion euros, with an expected ongoing monthly cost of 500 million for refugees within its territory.

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/10/turkey-syria-refugees-spent-billion-in-three-months.html

Turkey is an Islamic country boardering an Islamic war. Some of the more sencible Muslims appear to be the Kurds who fight to keep a buffer between IS and the EU. Turkey's contribution is to wage war against the kurds and make sure their border is open to refugees, terrorists and unemployable economic migrants. THEN they ask the EU for money, "they say to help with refugees"

I have to ask the question "what is Islam doing to control Islamists " answer nothing.

Unless someone comes up with a way to control the terrorists then we must close the borders

[Rancid]

What's part of the cost of a deal with Turkey, fast tracking and completing their membership of the EU on their terms ?

Turkey - illegally sends it's troops into Iraq to further its own interests

Turkey - allows its nationals to profit from illegal people trafficking of migrants into the EU.

Turkey - shoots down a Russian plane, arguably to protect its illegal oil dealings with ISIL

Turkey - allows recruits and weapons to cross its borders for ISIL.

Turkey - illegally trades in oil bought from ISIL, possible with direct involvement of the presidential family.

Turkey - suppresses freedom of speech, media being intimidated, assaulted and sued.

Turkey - officials harass opposition parties.

Turkey- current government doing all they can to move away from a secular constitution to becoming an Islamic Republic.

Turkey - illegally occupies part of Cyprus, which is an EU country.

Turkey is only prepared to act lawfully, ethically and morally, in respect to migrants, people trafficking, exploitation if, it is bribed by the EU and price is big enough.

Yep, you can see why some EU politicians want to fast track them to full EU membership.

All good points, and it seems not only is that NATO paragon of virtue Turkey doing nicely out of ISIS but also it seems is another NATO member Bulgaria is also making a nice dollar selling drugs to ISIS:

http://www.voltairenet.org/article189802.html

Yes, NATO, now there is an organization worthy of respect.