The Minister of Immigration and Asylum and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Notis Mitarakis and Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, participated today, via teleconference, in the Jumbo Council of Foreign and Interior Ministers, on the external dimension of the EU's migration policy, as will be provided for in the new Pact on Immigration and Asylum.
In particular, as stated in a joint statement of the ministries, Mr.Mitarakis underlined the great importance of the EU's cooperation with Turkey in the management of migratory flows along the Eastern Mediterranean route. He went on to say that for Greece and for Europe, the key is for Turkey to respect its obligations, as stated in the EU's Joint Declaration with the neighbouring country. At this point, it is noted that Mitarakis recalled that Greece is still waiting for Turkey's response to the request for the return of 1,453 migrants.
The Minister of Immigration and Asylum emphatically stressed that Turkey is a safe third country not only for those coming from Syria, but for all refugees. That is why he said, according to the same statement, that the strict implementation of the EU-Turkey Joint Declaration should be the only operational tool for a good cooperation with Turkey, so that we do not face again the conditions that led to the Evros crisis a year ago. ’A cooperation that must directly link the trade-offs with the proper implementation of the EU-Turkey Joint Declaration«, he concluded.
For his part, Deputy Foreign Minister Varvitsiotis said that it is important to have more cooperation at European level in order to formulate a functional return system. He also suggested, as underlined in the joint communication, that the EU should use the tools it has to draw up functioning readmission agreements with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In particular, Mr.Varvitsiotis noted that the external dimension of migration is one of the issues that we must work together in the EU in order to formulate a functioning return system. He pointed out that in order to facilitate returns we need to use the possibilities we have in relation to third countries, especially in terms of funding from the Union, stressing that it should be linked to their performance in the field of migration.
The deputy foreign minister also welcomed the initiative of the Portuguese presidency regarding the emphasis placed on African countries.
Finally, as announced in the same statement, he referred to Afghanistan and Pakistan, noting that these are countries of concern to us, especially with regard to the Eastern Mediterranean route. He expressed the view that more can be done: On Afghanistan, implementation of a new joint declaration on migration cooperation agreed between the EU and Afghanistan, and on Pakistan, full implementation of the readmission agreement which should be a precondition for a future migration dialogue.
The Minister of Immigration and Asylum and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Notis Mitarakis and Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, participated today, via teleconference, in the Jumbo Council of Foreign and Interior Ministers, on the external dimension of the EU's migration policy, as will be provided for in the new Pact on Immigration and Asylum.
In particular, as stated in a joint statement of the ministries, Mr.Mitarakis underlined the great importance of the EU's cooperation with Turkey in the management of migratory flows along the Eastern Mediterranean route. He went on to say that for Greece and for Europe, the key is for Turkey to respect its obligations, as stated in the EU's Joint Declaration with the neighbouring country. At this point, it is noted that Mitarakis recalled that Greece is still waiting for Turkey's response to the request for the return of 1,453 migrants.
The Minister of Immigration and Asylum emphatically stressed that Turkey is a safe third country not only for those coming from Syria, but for all refugees. That is why he said, according to the same statement, that the strict implementation of the EU-Turkey Joint Declaration should be the only operational tool for a good cooperation with Turkey, so that we do not face again the conditions that led to the Evros crisis a year ago. ’A cooperation that must directly link the trade-offs with the proper implementation of the EU-Turkey Joint Declaration«, he concluded.
For his part, Deputy Foreign Minister Varvitsiotis said that it is important to have more cooperation at European level in order to formulate a functional return system. He also suggested, as underlined in the joint communication, that the EU should use the tools it has to draw up functioning readmission agreements with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In particular, Mr.Varvitsiotis noted that the external dimension of migration is one of the issues that we must work together in the EU in order to formulate a functioning return system. He pointed out that in order to facilitate returns we need to use the possibilities we have in relation to third countries, especially in terms of funding from the Union, stressing that it should be linked to their performance in the field of migration.
The deputy foreign minister also welcomed the initiative of the Portuguese presidency regarding the emphasis placed on African countries.
Finally, as announced in the same statement, he referred to Afghanistan and Pakistan, noting that these are countries of concern to us, especially with regard to the Eastern Mediterranean route. He expressed the view that more can be done: On Afghanistan, implementation of a new joint declaration on migration cooperation agreed between the EU and Afghanistan, and on Pakistan, full implementation of the readmission agreement which should be a precondition for a future migration dialogue.
