It was all smiles for the camera as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other EU top brass visited Nizip refugee camp in the south-east of Turkey over the weekend. A photo opportunity with the Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu and some refugees dressed in traditional costumes preceded the tour. I was among the journalists covering this sanitised pitstop in Gaziantep, a city close to the Syrian border.
The whole event marked a month since the migrant deal between the EU and Turkey. Human rights groups have criticised the deal, which allowed failed asylum seekers to be deported from Greece back to Turkey. They argue that the EU has turned its back on refugees – and that Turkey isn’t a safe country for them to return to. Merkel’s highly symbolic visit was an opportunity to demonstrate the EU’s continuing interest in how refugees are treated here and essentially give Turkey, as a host country, the seal of approval.
The press pack arrived ahead of the photo op at Nizip.
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