Turkey cannot shoulder new migration burden, Erdoğan tells German counterpart

ANKARA

Turkey does not have the capacity to shoulder a new migration burden, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, during a phone call on Sept. 14.

According to a statement by the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, regional issues, especially Turkey-Germany relations, Afghanistan and immigration were discussed during the conversation.

Pointing out that some European countries have reduced the issue only to border security, Erdoğan underlined that Turkey does not have the capacity to handle a new migration burden.

Noting that Turkey and Germany, as NATO allies, displayed “admirable” solidarity and coordination during the evacuation process from Afghanistan, Erdoğan said the same understanding should be maintained during the critical period Afghanistan is going through.

Touching on the issue of delivering the necessary humanitarian aid to Afghanistan by the U.N. and other aid organizations, Erdoğan said that no one would want to experience an experience similar to the wave of Syrian migrants in 2015, and that Germany and the European Union should provide support to neighboring countries carrying the burden of Afghan migration in this way.