Turkish border to remain open to refugees from neighboring countries - head of Turkish delegation to PABSEC
MOSCOW. June 29 (Interfax) - Turkey will not close its borders to those forced to flee war and destitution, Ramazan Can, head of the Turkish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), said.
"Turkey will continue its policy of open doors to refugees," Can told the 47th session of the PABSEC General Assembly in Moscow on Wednesday.
Turkey is well aware that refugees simply have nowhere to go, they have no choice but to leave their homes, the head of the delegation said.
Currently, there are over three million refugees in Turkey, more than the population of some European countries, Can said.
Turkey has already spent about $10 billion of its national budget to create humane conditions for these people, he said.
Turkey is doing a great deal for refugees but this is not a problem of one country only, the head of the Turkish delegation said. "This is our common problem, and we must fight the causes that provoke people into leaving their homes," Can said.