Germany's Angela Merkel said today a planned EU-Turkey deal offers the first "real chance" to end the migrant crisis but cautioned that the bloc won't seek agreement at any cost.
Speaking on the eve of a crucial Brussels summit, Merkel made clear the EU would stand firm on civil rights in Turkey and that Ankara's bid to eventually join the 28-nation club is "not on the agenda now".
Europe, divided and desperate to end its biggest refugee influx since World War II, is pinning its hopes on a deal with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Under the plan hailed as a "game-changer", Turkey would seek to stop refugees' dangerous sea journeys and take back illegal migrants from Greece. For each Syrian it accepts, it would send one to the EU in a more orderly redistribution programme.
But the proposed deal -- which would offer Turkey the carrot of eased access to the visa-free Schengen zone and an acceleration of EU accession talks -- has drawn heavy fire on several fronts.
Many critics have voiced unease over human rights concerns in any deal with Turkey, over its arrests of journalists and academics and an intensifying military campaign against Kurdish separatists.
France has warned against attempts by Turkey to strongarm Europe, and Czech President Milos Zeman charged that Ankara's request for billions of euros more in EU aid amounted to "blackmail".
Merkel, addressing the concerns in a speech to parliament, stressed that no shortcuts would be taken.
Europe would continue to "voice our convictions to Turkey regarding, for instance, the protection of press freedom or the treatment of the Kurds," Merkel said.
But she also reached out to Turkey, saying she could understand its request for more EU financial aid.
"What Turkey has done for ... Some 2.7 million refugees can't be praised highly enough," she said.
"Europe has not covered itself with glory in how, as a union of 28 members states with 500 million citizens, it has struggled with fairly sharing the burden."
Sounding a hopeful note, Merkel said the EU summit may "reach an agreement that could give us, for the first time, a real chance at a sustainable and pan-European solution to the refugee crisis."
However, major stumbling blocks remained on the eve of the meeting -- the most immediate thrown up by Cyprus, which threatened to torpedo the plan over its territorial feud with Turkey.
