Turkey to play vital role in stopping Afghan influx to EU: Borrell

MADRID

Turkey will play a big role in preventing the Afghan refugees from entering Europe, a top EU official said on Aug. 18.

“There will be a lot of Afghans trying to bypass Turkey for Europe. On this occasion, Turkey will play a vital role,” EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell told the Spanish state radio RNE.

Reminding the footage showing the Afghans in the Kabul airport, he said, “Those images show what those people can take the risk to leave the country.”

“For the last three months, there is an Afghan influx, and there will be more. But this is tomorrow’s agenda. Today’s agenda is the running of Kabul airport,” he added.

He highlighted that talks between the EU and the Taliban are inevitable. “I know that this astonished some people. But we have to talk to them. If we do not talk to those in charge of the airport security, we cannot open a path for the running of the airport,” he said.