The European Union (EU) agreed Sunday to grant Turkey three billion euros (3.2-billion dollars) in refugee aid and promised to boost relations with the long-standing membership candidate, in return for efforts to curb migration flows into the bloc, dpa reported.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu proclaimed a 'new beginning' for EU-Turkey relations, which have been strained by clashes over territorial issues, democracy and fundamental rights. But the deal struck Sunday comes with many conditions attached.
The EU turned to Turkey for help after experiencing its largest population movements since World War II. More than 900,000 people reached the continent this year.

Many transit through Turkey, including people fleeing war-torn Syria. The EU now wants Ankara to hold back those flows, by offering people better lives in Turkey, upping its border controls and cracking down on migrant traffickers, among other things.

'We expect a major step towards changing the rules of the game when it comes to stemming the migration flow,' said EU President Donald Tusk, adding that Turkey and the EU had agreed a 'clear plan for the timely re-establishment of order at our shared frontier.'

Source: BNA