EU, Turkey outline migration agreement
Talks on the plan will continue ahead of an EU meeting on 17 or 18 March.
(File Photo) The closed Turkish border crossing with Syria, on the outskirts of the town of Kilis, in southeastern Turkey
The EU and Turkey say they have agreed the broad principles of a plan to ease the migration crisis at a summit in Brussels, but delayed a final decision.
European Council President Donald Tusk said irregular migrants arriving in Greece would be returned to Turkey.
For each Syrian migrant returned, Turkey wants the EU to accept a Syrian refugee, and offer more funding and progress on EU integration.
Talks on the plan will continue ahead of an EU meeting on 17 or 18 March.
Europe is facing its biggest refugee crisis since World War Two. Most migrants come via Turkey, which is already sheltering more than 2.7 million refugees from the civil war in neighbouring Syria.
Turkey tabled new proposals ahead of the EU summit on Monday, and there was uncertainty on whether any agreement would be possible.
However, European Council President Donald Tusk said leaders had made a "breakthrough", and he was hopeful of concluding a deal next week.
He said the progress sent "a very clear message that the days of irregular migration to Europe are over".
Speaking at a news conference after the summit, Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey had made a "bold decision to accept all irregular illegal migrants... based on the assumption that for every one Syrian readmitted by Turkey from the Greek islands another Syrian will be resettled by Europe."
But he said it was important to see the refugee deal as a package, to include progress on Turkish integration within the EU.
