Angela Merkel visits Turkey for talks on migrant deal

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Angela Merkel walks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and European Council president Donald Tusk. Credit: Reuters

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in Turkey to visit a migrant camp on the Syrian-Turkish border and discuss the refugee deal agreed with the European Union.

She was joined by EU Council President Donald Tusk and other European officials to inspect conditions in a camp in the southern town of Nizi.

The one-day visit comes as Turkey and the European Union try to implement a migrant returns deal with Greece aimed at stopping migrant flows across the Aegean Sea by breaking the smugglers' business model.

The legality of the deal has been called into question by rights groups.

A senior Turkish government official said the main focus of the visit would be on relations with the EU and implementing the migrant deal, including how to spend a promised 3 billion euros ($3.37 billion) in funding.

Refugees and their children await the arrival of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European officials. Credit: Reuters
DATE IMPORTED:April 23, 2016Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu gestures as German Chancellor Angela Merkel receives flowers from children upon her arrival at Gaziantep airport. Credit: Reuters