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Sunday 24 April 2016

Migrant crisis: EU-Turkey deal is 'working'

Last month's EU-Turkey deal on tackling the migrant flow has begun to produce results, a top EU official has said.
"We have seen a sharp reduction of the illegal migration flows," European Council President Donald Tusk said.
In Turkey, he praised the government as "the best example in the world on how to treat refugees", despite criticism by rights groups of the agreement.
Turkish PM Ahmed Davutoglu reiterated the EU should now implement visa-free travel for Turks as part of the deal.
Mr Davutoglu said his country had fulfilled its part of the agreement and that the issue of the visa waiver for entering the EU's Schengen area was "vital" for Turkey.
The deal says Turkey must meet 72 conditions by 4 May to earn access. Diplomats say only half of those points have been met so far.
Earlier on Saturday, Mr Tusk and German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited a migrant camp on the Turkish-Syrian border.
The goal of the deal was to deter migrants, mainly Syrians and Iraqis, from making illegal crossings - mainly by sea - between Turkey and Greece, an EU member.
The UN refugee agency and other rights organisations have voiced concerns about the agreement. see more>> http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36121083

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