(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Sunday Turkey and Germany should join hands to address influx of Syrian refugees, underlining Berlin's support to Ankara's fight against terrorism.
At a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Davutoglu said they discussed development in Syria and called on all countries related to conflict to act responsibly.
He described Merkel's decision to receive Syrian refugees as "courageous." He said that "while many European leaders called for the deportation of refugees, she (Merkel) took a very humanitarian position." Davutoglu said Turkey and Germany would be working together to fight human trafficking as well as addressing its root causes.
Davutoglu called for creating a "safe zone" in northern Syria so displaced civilians could stay there.
He meanwhile hoped the process of Turkey's accession into the European Union (EU) would be quicker, citing the Turkish citizens' entry of EU countries without visas.
Davutoglu hoped the EU's visa-free Schengen agreement included Turkey by next year so Turks could move freely within Europe.
He thanked Merkel for keeping the Patriot missiles deployed in Turkey for three years, while saying they discussed the coordination of support to the Kurds in the fight against ISIL.
Merkel, for her part, said Germany was ready to support Turkey's EU accession in return of Ankara's receiving of large numbers of refugees.
"We wish to open Chapter 17 regarding the economic and montary policy, which is related to Turkey's accession talks with the EU," she said.
Merkel said cooperation between Turkey and Germany to solve the Kurds' problems was important.
The German chancellor met earlier in the day with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and discussed the Syrian refugees problem, fighting terrorism and Syrian conflict.
Her visit comes as the EU countries were considering extending 3.4 billion euros to Turkey by three-fold so the latter keeps the refugees on its soil instead of them traveling to Europe via Greece.
Turkey, during European Commission Jean-Claude Junker's visit to Ankara last Thursday, requested easing on travel restriction on Turkish citizens, opening new negotiations chapters and other incentives.
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