EU fails to protect refugees, Erdogan says
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed European countries for their criticism of human rights and media freedoms in Turkey, accusing them of failing to protect refugee rights and of supporting Kurdish rebels, who he says are behind a spate of terror attacks in Turkey.
Erdogan on Monday also criticized Western countries for rejecting Turkish proposals for the creation of a no-fly zone or secure zones in Syria, which he said would have prevented Europe's refugee crisis.
Erdogan says "all those who have not accepted a no-fly zone and a zone cleared of terror in Syria, and everyone who complains about the refugees are two-faced and hypocritical."
Erdogan said Turkey had agreed to a refugee deal with the EU to prevent Syrian refugees from being subjected to "derogatory treatment" at European borders. [AP]
