UPDATES WITH DETAILS ON CAMP VISIT
GAZIANTEP, Turkey (AA) – Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Syrian refugees on Saturday in Turkey’s southeastern province of Gaziantep’s Nizip district.
EU Council President Donald Tusk and First Vice-President of EU Commission Frans Timmermans were also present.
Merkel said on Wednesday that her visit to Turkey was aimed at gaining new insights into the living conditions of Syrian refugees and identifying their needs.
She added: “I will travel to Gaziantep together with European Council President Donald Tusk and EU Commission Vice-President Mr. Timmermans to see the situation on the ground.
Referring to the EU-funded humanitarian projects for refugees who escaped from civil war in neighboring Syria, she said: “There, we are having first projects for the refugees and we would like to listen to them about their needs.”
“We would like to gain insights into the practical conditions, we would like to figure out which steps should be taken to speed up the implementation.”
The EU and Turkey agreed on an action plan late last year, to improve conditions of Syrian refugees in Turkey and to strengthen the fight against human smugglers operating in the Aegean Sea.
The leaders visited a preschool at Nizip Temporary Shelter Center where more than 4,800 Syrian refugees currently stay.
Students greeted Merkel in Turkish saying, “Welcome, how are you?” Merkel received information from camp officials about the students and life in camp. During the visit, Davutoglu informed Merkel in English.
While the leaders were living the camp, several Syrian children chanted “Syria-Turkey is together” in Arabic. The leaders then visited containers where refugees stay. One of the refugees said: “May Allah give strength to President Erdogan”.
Turkey hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees in the world, with over 2.5 million Syrians inside the country.
Davutoglu’s wife Sare Davutoglu, Deputy PM Mehmet Simsek, EU Minister and top negotiator Volkan Bozkir, Deputy PM Yalcin Akdogan, Minister of Interior Affairs Efkan Ala and Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Sahin were also present during the visit.
