Turkey drives hard bargain for stemming refugee flow to Europe

Ankara is demanding a 3 billion euro package for a Turkish commitment to stem the flow of refugees from Syria to the European Union, as well as restarting stalled talks on Turkey’s accession to the EU. These terms were to be put before the conference opening in Brussels Sunday, between EU officials and Turkish prime minister Ahmed Davutoglu. DEBKAfile: Turkey is widely criticized by EU members for its lack of respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights, especially in view of President Tayyip’s increasingly autocratic conduct. On the other hand, the refugee crisis preys heavily on Europe.