He also claimed that the EU is as guilty as Greece. Finnish Foreign Minister Peeka Havisto replied that Greece is under a lot of pressure and is bearing the burden on the migration issue and that help should be given to the frontline countries.
In a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart after their meeting in Ankara, the Turkish minister claimed that "Greece continues its policy of pushing back in violation of international law and in clear violation of human rights. Many migrants from different countries have lost their lives in the sea, in the Aegean due to repulsion and even because Greece punctured their dinghies or shot them."
Mr. Cavusoglu said that no one should misunderstand his criticisms, adding that he was not saying this because there were differences of opinion on certain issues or because of strained relations at times and that it was a humanitarian issue.
"This is another issue but this one has become a state policy. The first reason it has become state policy is that here FRONTEX is helping Greece. The EU and especially the European Parliament saw this and started an investigation against FRONTEX but nothing came out of it. So the EU is as guilty as Greece here," he argued. He added that "if Turkey did a tenth of this, he (Havisto) knows better how Turkey can be criticized, and we know that, but instead Greece is getting support on this issue."
He also said that the EU expresses the excuse that Greece is protecting Europe's borders, adding that Europe's borders start from Turkey in the east and south and when you go further north, they start from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, the Caucasus and Russia. He argued that Turkey is protecting Europe's borders on migration.
Cavusoglu said the inhumane treatment of migrants under the excuse of border protection is contrary to the values the EU is trying to uphold.
"Together we are trying to give a human rights lesson to the Taliban and Afghanistan."
"Together we are trying to give a human rights lesson to the Taliban and Afghanistan. How can we justify what Greece has done? Greece also takes away all the passports and clothes of the people it repels and then pushes them back. In mid-winter, even though it is so cold, even though it is snowing, it pushed back 19 migrants by taking their clothes, leaving these people half naked and as a result they died. How can we justify this? Who will put an end to this situation? Will the EU put an end to it? Where are the human rights defenders, of which Finland comes first?" he asked.
Turkey's Foreign Minister also argued that there should be sanctions for what was done against these migrants,[/B] adding that Turkey did not treat refugees from Iran in such a way and that Turkey did not forcibly send those who wanted to return to Afghanistan by plane.
"What Greece is doing is really not in accordance with law, conscience or morality. We are not saying that because of our relations. Greece is responsible for the death of 19 innocent people who were left out in the cold," he reiterated.
"Greece bears the burden," says Finnish Foreign Minister
Defending Greece, the Finnish minister said that "it should be noted that Greece and Italy are also under terrible pressure, considering the number of refugees and migrants arriving in these countries."
"Therefore, we have to share the burden of the migratory flow across the EU," he said.
"In particular, we have to lift and bear together the burden of migrants coming from the Mediterranean route. We must also help these frontline countries and find ways to reduce their burden," Havisto said, while Cavusoglu replied in English this time "but we do not push people back in the cold."
Source: CNA
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