Turkey signs European Union migrant deal
The EU has committed to ensuring visa-free travel for Turkish citizens in 2017.
ANKARA (AFP) - Turkey on Monday signed a long-awaited deal with the European Union to repatriate those who enter the bloc illegally from its territory, in exchange for talks on visa-free travel for its citizens.
The EU has committed to ensuring visa-free travel for Turkish citizens in 2017 at the earliest in return for Turkey signing the agreement.
"The gateway to Europe without a visa will now be open," said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, promising that Turkey would fulfil its obligations.
The EU wants Turkey, a crossroads between Europe and Asia, to take back thousands of illegal migrants who have crossed its borders into Greece, the EU s eastern frontier.
The deal had stalled in 2012, with Turkey refusing to sign as the EU would not commit to starting negotiations on the visa-free travel regime applied to other candidate countries.
The country of 76 million resumed talks to gain entry into the EU in November after a three-year freeze.
Turkey s efforts to join the EU formally started in 2005 but stalled due to several stumbling blocks including a territorial dispute with member Cyprus and opposition from heavyweights France and Germany.
However, democratic reforms and Turkey s key role as neighbour to Syria in global efforts to avoid crisis in the Middle East have helped move forward Ankara s drawn-out campaign to prise open the EU door.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu signed the accord with the 28-nation bloc s home affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom during a ceremony in Ankara.
