Erdogan warned Europe that his country would not be in stock for refugees – SME.sk

ANKARA. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country faces a potential new wave of migration from Afghanistan, called on European countries to share responsibility for Afghans fleeing the militant Taliban and warned that Turkey would not become a “refugee stock” for Europe.

In a televised address, Erdogan also said on Thursday that his government, “if necessary,” will begin talks with a government that the Taliban could form.

Erdogan made his speech after the number of Afghans who came to Turkey across the border with Iran increased in recent weeks.

However, anti-immigrant sentiment has intensified in Turkey as the country struggles with economic difficulties, including high unemployment, exacerbated by a pandemic coronavirus.

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“We need to remind our European friends of this fact: Europe cannot stay out of the refugee problem by closing its borders hard,” Erdogan said. “Turkey has no obligation, responsibility or commitment to be a stock of refugees for Europe,” the Turkish president said.

Erdogan added that five million foreigners live in his country, including 3.6 million Syrians who fled before the civil war and 300,000 Afghans.

He stated that he was aware of the dissatisfaction of the Turkish public with refugees. He reiterated that his country had increased the number of troops and police on its border with Iran, and that the wall they were building on the border was almost complete.