Top EU diplomats head to Turkey amid looming migrant crisis

Top diplomats from the European Union headed to Turkey on Tuesday amid concern over a fresh migrant crisis. EU High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioner Janez Lenarcic will spend two days in Turkey for “high-level” meetings on the Syrian crisis and the migrant row.

Thousands of migrants and refugees have arrived at Turkey’s border with Greece since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced last week that it would no longer stop them trying to enter Europe.

Ankara claims “millions” of refugees could soon be heading from Turkey into Europe. This is widely seen as a bid to pressure EU leaders into supporting Erdogan’s military offensive in Syria.

Rights groups meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday said that migrants “should not be used as a negotiating tool and the government should stop directing them to unsafe crossing points.” They also criticized Europe for “endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of migrants” by closing its borders, AFP reports.