ANKARA, Feb 8 (KUNA) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara on Monday, and discussed ways to enhance bilateral security cooperation and to have NATO forces assist in border control with Syria.
Merkel in a joint press conference with Davutoglu said, that Turkey and the EU are working to stop influx of refugees into Europe, and to arrest and prosecute whoever responsible for illegal trafficking of people.
She added that the refugees' crisis worsened "after Russia bombed thousands of Syrian civilians," urging Moscow to immediately stop the bombing of innocent people.
She asserted that the EU stand alongside Ankara with the refugees' crisis, explaining that placing a cap on number of refugees would facilitate their entry to Europe.
From his part, the Turkish Prime Minister stated his worries on the Syrian peace negotiations that were undermined by Russian bombing of city of Aleppo forcing thousands of civilians to leave their homes and find a safe shelter elsewhere, Turkey being among them.
He stated that more than 30,000 refugees crossed the Turkish borders after the bombing, and the Syrian regime's closure of the road that connects Turkey with Syria, which is used to deliver humanitarian aid.
Davutoglu meanwhile said that he and Merkel discussed to start of a new chapter in Turkey's accession negotiations in the EU, thanking Berlin for its support to Ankara's bids to join the EU. (end) rs.maa.mys