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            Turkish Observers Question Viability of EU Migrant Deal

   by Dorian Jones

   EU and Turkish officials say they have reached an agreement in
   principle to resolve the migrant crisis. Turkey, which is hosting over
   two million Syrian refugees and is the migrants' main transit route
   into Europe, is seen as the key to stemming the exodus.

   Pro-government newspapers in Turkey described the emergency summit on
   the migrant crisis held in Brussels as a historic victory for the
   country, with the EU agreeing to resettle one Syrian refugee from
   Turkey in return for every Syrian refugee Turkey takes back from
   Greece.

   But the United Nations and international human rights groups are
   questioning the legality of immediate deportations. Andrew Stroehlein
   of the U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch said there were too many
   unanswered questions.

   "Neither side is saying how they are going to assess people
   individually, how they are going to evaluate their needs for
   international protection. Two sides are promising these rapid fire mass
   expulsions not based on anyone's particular situation," he said.

   This year alone, more than 120,000 migrants made the perilous journey
   across the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece. More than 200 have died.

   ''

   Questions are also being raised over whether the EU will be able to
   honor the commitment to accept an estimated tens of thousands of Syrian
   refugees. There is also concern about EU leaders' support of Ankara's
   proposal to send Syrians back to safe-haven areas in Syria.

   Stroehlein said the proposal was alarming.

   "The suggestion that they might send back Syrians back to Syria is just
   appalling. The idea there is going to be safe zone in anything but in
   name is just unrealistic in the extreme. This would mean to send people
   to deadly danger. It's just a non-starter," he said.

   For years, Turkish leaders have been lobbying hard for creating safe
   havens in Syria, in what analysts say is an attempt by Turkey to draw
   its Western partners into the Syrian conflict.

   ''

   Turkish media are portraying the EU's agreement to swiftly ease visa
   requirements for Turks as Ankara's biggest victory in the summit. But
   observes say the proposal will cause alarm in many European countries
   already nervous about the scope of the migration.

   That concern was well placed, said Cengiz Aktar, a political scientist
   at Istanbul's Suleyman Sah University, who predicted a further surge in
   migration.

   "Turkish asylum seekers arriving to Europe because of the ongoing
   hostilities in Turkish Kurdistan, Turkish jobless, and Turkish ISIL
   members need to be taken into account before making any decision to
   lift visa [restrictions] to 78 million Turks," said Aktar.

   Analysts here are already questioning the sustainability of the
   proposed deal. EU and Turkish leaders will meet again next week to
   hammer out what they say is the final details of the plan. The meeting
   is already predicted to be a long one.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/turkish-observers-question-viability-
   of-eu-migrant-deal/3226121.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/turkish-observers-question-viability-of-eu-migrant-deal/3226121.html