On a two-day trip to Ankara and Athens, Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer held talks with the governments of Turkey and Greece focusing on ways to improve cooperation and potential support in coping with the migration situation.

A joint approach to migration and security

Federal Minister Seehofer travelled together with the EU Commissioner for Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos, and representatives of the French government, first to Ankara and then to Athens.“Current migration movements present us with enormous challenges that no country in the world can deal with on its own. This joint trip underscores the fact that we need to solve the key challenges of Migration and security together."

Turkey: improving cooperation on migration and security

It was agreed that the Turkish government would make proposals for potential support. This could be support, for example, to the Turkish coast guard and to the fight against immigrant smuggling. “Both sides wish to further improve cooperation on migration and security issues. This is a very good result,” said Minister Seehofer.

Greece: Effective protection of the EU’s external borders is in the interest of Europe as a whole

In Greece, Minister Seehofer held talks with the ministers responsible for migration issues. “At the European level, I will work to ensure that the interests of member states at the external borders are taken more carefully into account. Action taken by countries at the external borders is in the interest of Europe as a whole,” he said after the meeting.

Germany could provide support to speed up asylum procedures, strengthen the coast guard and border security or in the field of information technology. “We have to face the fact that there has been a huge increase in the number of migrants in Turkey and Greece. If we fail to support these countries, it is just a matter of time before those people arrive in Germany. It is therefore in Germany’s interest to support Turkey and Greece.”