(Reuters) The head of the European Commission said it will make a proposal to Turkey to ensure the flow of funding for refugees that the country hosts, adding that Ankara must however respect human rights and the rule of law.
Ursula von der Leyen said following a meeting with President Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Tuesday that Europe was committed to the continuity of such funding, but that rights issues had absolute priority and were “non-negotiable.”
Turkey hosts some 4 million refugees, mostly Syrian, and has repeatedly accused the EU of not honouring promises under a 2016 deal under which it was to curb migrant flows to Europe in exchange for financial aid.
“The Commission will soon make a (funding) proposal,” von der Leyen told a news conference alongside European Council President Charles Michel.
