Cyprus-Forum.com

[Paphitis]

About time NATO got involved in this.

Turkey is not going to be happy when the refugees will be returned back to Turkey, but tough!

[GreekIslandGirl]

And the official NATO press release http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_127981.htm

NATO Defence Ministers Agree on NATO support to assist with the Refugee and Migrant Crisis

11 Feb. 2016 -
NATO Defence Ministers agreed that NATO will provide support to assist with the refugee and migrant crisis on Thursday (11 February 2016). “The goal is to participate in the international efforts to stem the illegal trafficking and illegal migration in the Aegean,” Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.


NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 is currently deployed in the region and will be tasked to conduct reconnaissance, monitoring and surveillance of illegal crossings in the Aegean. It will also establish a direct link with the European Union’s border management agency, Frontex.

The Secretary General stressed that this mission is “not about stopping or pushing back refugee boats,” but about contributing “critical information and surveillance to help counter human trafficking and criminal networks.” As part of the agreement, NATO will cooperate closely with national coastguards and the European Union. Military authorities are now working out the details of the mission.

Yes, we know. The problem is stopping migrants from Turkey -> Greece. So if they are going to help, they have to stop Turkey sending migrants from Turkey -> Greece. No one (except Erolz/Erdogan) can believe anything different should take place. Turkey as a NATO member is finally being pushed to accept it has TO TAKE back the migrants - as Greece asked a few days ago (article above) and raised it with the EU and NATO! Not Erdogan! He's been the problem. Hopefully this is the solution!

[GreekIslandGirl]

About time NATO got involved in this.

Turkey is not going to be happy when the refugees will be returned back to Turkey, but tough!

Agreed!

[erolz66]

... I know what all the credible evidence and plain logic suggests

Of course. Of course. You know it ALL. Like Erdogan - you're both omnipotent and omniscient.

Confusing yourself with me, yet again I see.

[erolz66]

15 times across multiple threads and pages and pages of posts

Exactly. You're a troll.

Yet all you have to do to shut me up on this is answer a simple poll on a subject you have posted vociferously and loudly on over multiple threads and countless posts. Not a trick poll. Not a 'loaded' poll like this one or an inanely stupid poll like this one. Just a simple straight forward question. Why not answer it ? Why just prove that my prediction you would ignore it and would not answer it and could not answer it is right ? Why when all it takes is a single click ? Oh I know why and I am pretty sure I am not the only one either

[supporttheunderdog]

About time NATO got involved in this.

Turkey is not going to be happy when the refugees will be returned back to Turkey, but tough!

Agreed!

But tst is not the mission

http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions_127972.htm

[Paphitis]

Turkish president threatens to send millions of Syrian refugees to EU

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/f ... gees-to-eu

Appalling threats by Turkey against the entire EU! Also a terrible threat towards vulnerable Greece.

Further sign that Turkey is undermining NATO and EU.

In Syria, they also refuse to play ball and attacked Coalition allies.

[erolz66]

This crisis can only be dealt with by co operation between states, within the EU and outside it. The EU, Frontex, NATO can only return irregular migrants it might intercept in the Aegean back to Turkey if Turkey agrees to such. Legally, let alone morally. You can not just force someone who is a genuine refugee beck to a country that does not agree to take them AND in which their rights as a refugee as well as their human rights will not be respected. To do so is illegal.

Turkey with a population of around 90 million has taken in 2.5 to 3 million Syrian refugees. All EU countries, with a population around 750 million took in around 1 million Syrian refugees in 2015. Greece is suffering from the passing through of the majority of that 1 million through Greece on the way to other EU states. Turkey is suffering from the passing through of such refugees and the hosting of another 2.5-3 million within Turkey, with no end in sight.

It would be easy to paint a picture of EU hypocrisy , insisting Turkey does not allow any migrants to leave Turkey for the EU whilst also insisting that Turkey does not stop such from entering Turkey. An easy picture to paint but not an accurate one imo. The EU I believe will and wants to play it's part but in order to do that there needs to be control. What it wants is to be able to take refugees from Turkey in a controlled manner, not an uncontrolled one. This is the objective that drives the EU's insistence that Greece meet it's schengen obligations. This can only be achieved through co operation with Turkey. There will always be arguments about if it is taking 'enough' or it's 'fair share' between the EU and Turkey, just as there will be between EU member states themselves. However before these 'details' there has to be control. At the external boarders of the EU area and preferably beyond that as well.

Through all these political arguments and wrangling, there remains the millions and millions of human beings, who's lives and homes have been destroyed by war fare. The world has a duty to offer these people protection and a place where they can rebuild their lives in safety and where their rights as human beings are respected.

[GreekIslandGirl]

Firstly, Turkey was one of the main countries braying for destroying Syria. Therefore, Turkey has helped create yet MORE refugees.

Secondly, Turkey is the one with the moral responsibility for the Syrian refugees that it has helped usurp and should also have legal responsibility but I don't know about international law.

These refugees have to traverse Turkey to get to the Aegean. This is where they could be tackled first. Why is Turkey turning a blind eye?

Turkey should be their FIRST and LAST stop. There they can be assessed and looked after accordingly until they can return home or seek immigration by legal means.

However, Turkey has chosen instead to use these people as pawns (as it does Cyprus) in order to elbow its way into the EU or to gain more unearned money/power whilst (as usual) targeting Greece in its relentless quest to destroy and conquer, again! Erdogan continues to threaten to 'turf' more refugees at the EU as his next move! He shows no respect for people.

The most recent Schengen evaluation report identified the enormous pressure Greece and the EU external border has been put under. We know it is the acts perpetrated by Turkey that are the root cause.

Merkel has seen her mistake and seems to have managed - along with NATO - to persuade Turkey to take refugees back. Hence why Turkey is included in this new alliance strategy - Turkey's the one who has to take them back.

If NATO can intercept these people before they get to Greece, they can and should be returned to Turkey. It's only once they land in Greece that they might become Greece's long-term problem. The crux zone.

This German/NATO extra help is the sort of assistance the Schengen evaluation report identified as being needed by Greece along with more Frontex as a permanent solution.

Of course there has to be something in it for NATO and that might be stopping the flow of migrants at root source (Syria) by agreeing a peace deal along with Russia - and there are signs this might happen.

Meanwhile the priority should be to help Greece and patrol the EU external borders which are NOT the individual responsibility of Greece!

[supporttheunderdog]

Meanwhile the priority should be to help Greece and patrol the EU external borders which are NOT the individual responsibility of Greece!

I think you will find that under REGULATION (EC) No 562/2006 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 March 2006 establishing a Community Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32006R0562 The National Governments of Members States are responsible for the control of their borders, albeit under common rules.