Confidential documents obtained by the Greek news outlet Euro2Day.gr reveal shocking rows between Council Chief Donald Tusk, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Turkish President Erdogan during November 16 meeting. Minutes show the extent to which Turkey is using the migrant crisis as leverage to extort concessions.
Confidential minutes of the November 16 meeting of the Euro Commission with Turkish President Erdogan revealed by the Greek economics news outlet Euro2day.gr (
source) show in shocking detail what exactly occurred during this meeing. While there was agreement on the so-called Action Plan, Erdogan met with Council Chief Donald Tusk and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Antalya. Erdogan threatened that if the EU does not link the refugee crisis to accelerate Turkey's accession negotiations Turkey would:
1. Send refugees with buses into Greece and Bulgaria and will let the refugees, in particular young children, drown on its shores.
2. Turkey does not accept the 3 billion euro for two years per earlier agreement and demanded 3 billion euros per year at least.
3. Turkey wanted opening of all accession funds as soon as possible.
4. The European Commission deliberately delayed the publication of Turkey's progress report at the Erdogan's request to help him win the election.
The content of the meeting is shocking (scroll down for the minutes of the meeting at the bottom). Erdogan was arrogant, quarrelsome and the tone of the debate rose to explosive levels. The meeting ended without agreement.
Erdogan threatened to send refugees with buses into Greece and demanded more money, saying that Greece received 400 billion euros in "aid" from Europe.
It is worth noting that the incident not only shows Turkey's petulance, but also that its stance was covered up by the EU.
The member states were not updated as required (not even the Greek prime minister who was an official trip to Turkey the next day was in the loop). Journalists under a complete news blackout were just given the information that "the ball was rolling." Erdogan is reported to have said to Tusk and Juncker.
You need to provide 3 billion euros for two years if you want the negotiations to continue. Greece got 400 billion during the crisis. I would like to capture some of those funds and invest it in a security zone in Syria, in order to solve the problems of the refugees.
When Tusk tried to explain that the money given to Greece was in loans to ensure the survival of the euro and that the two matters are incomparable, Erdogan interrupted him saying that his country had already spent 8 billion euros for refugee camps that are a "model" and that he was not open to advice.
Erdogan showed complete indifference to the problems of Europe. Tusk said the EU was in a very difficult position and already some member states were ready to abolish the Schengen Treaty after the terrorist attack in Paris.
At this point the Turkish President again stopped saying that Schengen is a European project that does not concern him. The documents state: "Mr. Erdogan asked rhetorically what will happen to the refugees if we do not reach an agreement? It will kill the refugees?".
Tusk replied that the EU can make itself less attractive to refugees "but this is not the solution we want."
Erdogan retorted that if they could not come to an agreement, the EU will be faced with more than a little boy drowned on the coast of Turkey. "There will be 10 and 15,000. What will you do then?" he asked Tusk and Juncker.
"The attacks in Paris are caused by poverty and exclusion. These people are uneducated, and they will continue to terrorize Europe," he continued sharing the point of view with the Left, that man is a product of economic and social circumstances.
At which point Juncker is reported to have said in high tones that if the Schengen zone was dissolved, Turkey would not benefit from the EU's lifting of visa requirements and that Ankara will have to make bilateral agreements with member states.
"We received criticism for the delay of the publication of the progress report. And with regard to the funds nor I, nor Donald (Tusk) can continue to change the numbers. We need clarity in two weeks. We also agreed to open new accession chapters as Chapter 17 ".
Erdogan considered Mr. Juncker's comments offensive and interrupted once again saying that the delay of the report did not help him win the election. He said angrily that "the report is an insult" and that his country had been excluded from the EU summit for 11 years.
"Who wrote this report? How could you write these things? This is not the real Turkey! You never came to me to learn the truth.
The answer from Juncker that the progress report was delayed at the request of Mr. Erdogan raised even more anger as Mr. Juncker said he now feels "cheated".
"I had the impression that you wanted to reconcile with Europe, because you really stood up to the challenges," he said.
Juncker was interrupted once again by Mr. Erdogan, who challenged him to "indicate whether or not the EU had made any concessions to Turkey? "
Jean-Claude Juncker said the possibility of providing funds, acceleration of the accession procedures, the liberalization of visas, were decisions that are extremely difficult for the member states.
Mr. Erdogan insisted that the EU had done nothing for Turkey, that the money was for refugees and not for the country. "Use the pre-accession funds! This is nothing. You have not opened any chapters (for 5 years). We have been waiting for 53 years. We fools, "Erdogan blustered.
Mr. Juncker retorted that Brussels had welcomed the Turkish President "like a prince." to which Erdogan replied: "As a prince? Of course! I do not represent any Third World country!"
Turning to Mr. Tusk, Erdogan said that Mr. Juncker was "disrespectful" and that in his view the EU does not want Turkey within the EU.
"If you do not want us, say so clearly. Just keep the refugees," he said and noted that if there is no agreement, "we will send refugees with buses into Greece and Bulgaria."
In the meantime the pressure on Greece is expected to intensify this Wednesday, as the EU is claiming an active role in guarding Greece's maritime borders and bring in thousands of extra foreign police and guards.
Angela Merkel is today in Ankara for the third time in a row and has taken the reins of the negotiations firmly in hand. Erdogan suspects that the EU will not implement the promises of the accession negotiations and will do nothing to stem the flow of refugees.
But the contrary is the case. Germany is blaming not Turkey, but the commission for the botched negotiations. Those who know the Turkish diplomacy will realize that this reasoning is incorrect. Why were the member states not notified of Turkey's threats and diplomacy of extortion?
According to latest reports, Erdogan wants to involve (NATO) and EU and in military interventions in Syria, ostensibly under the cover of protecting refugees. He's demanding 30 billion euros in aid for the refugees of "global donors" and wants to bring the Greek-Turkish dispute over Cyprus on the negotiating table.
The Greek government is faced with both additional measures required under the first evaluation of the financial bailouts and increased pressure for new concessions on refugees. Both are expected to test the country's resilience amid social unrest, not only at home but also abroad, as more and more countries are under pressure from large portions of the electorate to deal with the illegals.
Greece is trying to avoid the double pressure of the financial crisis and the migrant crisis. But an IMFofficial told Euro2Day that in recent weeks Christine Lagarde is linking the two crises after pressure from the Obama administration. The reports indicate that the White House sent out a message to hold on to Greece, referring to the possible implications of temporarily excluding Greece from the Schengen zone.
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's relations with German Chancellor Merkel are not at their best. In addition, a high-ranking euro zone official, when asked about the explosive mixture generated in Greece, said that in the worst case, "Greece must form another
special purpose government, such as the one headed by Bank Of Greece Chief Papademos, enabling Greece to adopt all unpopular decisions deemed necessary. (Source) Of course this idea comes from the German Finance Ministry, i.e. the tax collector Schaueble.
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