German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert clarified Germany’s stance on how Greece and Turkey must approach the refugee crisis.
Seibert addressed the urgent leader’s summit that European Commission President Jean Claude-Juncker has convened for this upcoming Sunday. The meeting must consider how it can apply some of the European Council’s decisions namely to protect the European Union‘s external borders.
“Coordination, I believe, is what we should pursue. We know of course Greece’s sensitivities, but coordination along the EU’s external borders with a NATO counterpart like Turkey must be pursued. That does mean joint patrols. That is something else,” he said.
The spokesperson did not clarify how this coordination would play out but noted that the goal of this agenda is to the benefit of everyone.
The United Nations announced that more than 500,000 seaborne refugees and migrants have arrived at Greece since the beginning of the year. Smugglers transport migrants and refugees from the Turkish shores to the Greek islands on a recurring basis.
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