Eyes on Turkey-EU summit on migrant crisis

The world's eyes are on a two-day European Union summit on March 17-18, during which the details of a draft Turkey-EU deal, which aims at curbing the bloc's worst migrant crisis since World War II, will be debated ahead of a possible deal.

Turkey and the European Union reached a draft agreement on March 7 in another EU summit, during which the sides provisionally agreed to decrease the migrant influx into the EU in exchange for visa liberalization for Turkish citizens and a boost in Turkey's accession talks to the bloc.

According to the deal, Turkey would take back all of the migrants crossing to the EU from Turkey, whereas for each migrant Turkey takes, the EU would take one Syrian refugee from Turkey.

Speaking before the summit, Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said that a compromise was possible on an EU-Turkey deal, days after threatening to block the accord over his country's tense relations with Turkey.

"There are obstacles, but I do hope that during the deliberations that will follow at the European Council, there is going to be a compromise," Anastasiades said on March 17.

Anastasiades said Greek Cyprus would "not be the obstacle" and blamed Turkey for failing to recognize his government.

But he added: "I do believe there might be some other alternatives which are giving us the way out." 

Asked what they were, he replied: "You will have to wait until tomorrow," when the EU leaders are set to meet Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu in Brussels.

Davuto?lu is due to join EU leaders for a breakfast on March 18, at which Tusk hopes to finalize the deal.
At talks with EU Council President Donald Tusk in Nicosia on March 15, Anastasiades said he would not accept Turkey's...