USA-Mexico + EU-Turkey Deals on Mass Migrants/Asylum Seekers: Why so Different ?

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- While EU Commission and Parliament just re-started to discuss Turkey, recently in Brussels, before a Public Debate and Votes, soon in Strasbourg, the surprizing USA - Mexico Deal on Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants Announced Today by US President Don Trump, is So Different, (not to say : almost Contrary !) to the notorious EU - Turkey Deal on this Same Issue, which was brokered in 2015, that it inevitably raises the Question: - "Why ?"

=> "Eurofora" Publishes hereafter (See Infra) the Full Official Text of that landmark USA - Mexico Agreement on Mass Migration, as it has just been Presented for the Press, in an Official "Joint Declaration", released by the North American "State Department", which played a key role in the last-minute negotiations at Wash. D.C. :

- The USA will be able to "Rapidly" Arrest and Return Back to Mexico ALL those Trespassing the Borders towards the North. On the Contrary, according to that EU - Turkey Deal, it's Only those who did Not Lodge any Asylum Demand, or whose Demand was Rejected, who should Return Back to Turkey...

=> So that the Mass Asylum Seekers "may Await" the Result of their Demand in Mexico, which will accept them "for Humanitarian reasons", and "also offer Jobs, Healthcare and Education". The USA only promises to "Accelerate" the relevant Asylum Examination Procedures.... On the Contrary, according to the EU - Turkey Deal, all Mass Asylum Seekers can Remain Inside Europe !

+ Meanwhile, in order to Prevent such Massive Border Tresspassings into USA, Mexico commits itself to "take unprecedented steps to Increase Enforcement to Curb Irregular Migration", including by "the Deployment of its National Guard throughout" the Country, but giving a "Priority" to "its Southern Border", towards the rest of Latin America.

In Addition, Mexico promised also "Decisive Action" in order  to "Dismantle Human Smuggling and Trafficking Organisations", "as well as their illicit Financial and Transportation Networks". It seems that it has Already Started to act in this direction now, (f.ex. by "Freezing" the Bank Accounts of Dozens of people suspected to be Smugglers, etc). On the Contrary, we saw almost Nothing Similar from Turkey, since 2015/2016, or Rarely (f.ex. some alleged Arrests of a Few suspected Ring-Masters in Human Traficking Only Recently, on 2019)...

+ "Further Actions" will be Taken by the USA and Mexico, if those Measures "do not have the Expected Results", in Addition to "90 Days" with More "Discussions" for "additional Understandings to Address Irregular Migrant Flows", "if necessary".                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

=> What is the "Catch" for Mexico ? What does it get, in Exchange of its above-mentioned stance ?

The Only thing Known, until now, is, simply, that US President Trump has Decided to "Suspend" Sine Die, his Threat to Impose a Tax of 5% to all Products Imported from Mexico, on Monday, if there was No Agreement reached on Migration before that...

>>> On the Contrary, Turkey had Asked, and Obtained, from the EU to Regularly Pay Ankara ... 3 Billions € each Year, in full Grants (Not mere reimbursable Loans) ! An UnPrecedently Huge Amount of Fresh Money...

The Only Visible Move towards a Similar Direction in the American case of Today, is an Interesting, but Vague promise that Both "USA and Mexico", "will Lead in Working" (sic !...), Together "With" Other unnamed "Partners", (not only "Regional", but also "International"), in order "to Build a more Prosperous and Secure Central America, to Address the underlying Causes of Migration",..."so that Citizens of the Region can build Better lives for themselves and their families At Home".

    => In this regard, "US and Mexico" simply..."Reiterate" a "Previous Statement of 18/12/2018", that "Both Countries Recognize ... Strong Links, between ...Development and ... Growth in Southern Mexico", and "Prosperity, Good Governance, and Security in Central America". Thus, they also "Welcome" a "Developmen Plan, launched by the Government of Mexico, in concert with the Governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras" recently.

    However, mutatis-mutandis, it's Not Obvious at all that Turkish President, Mr. Erdogan, might, eventually, had been Satisfied, back on 2015-2016, if the EU had Proposed,

Instead of those 3 Billions € in full Grants each Year (Comp. Supra),

Only such a Vague Promise to merely ... "Work Together" with various "Partners", including the UN, for "a more Prosperous and Secure" ... f.ex. "Middle-East Region" (sic !).

Would that be Enough for Mr. Erdogan ?

If Yes, then, Where Turkey might Find 3 or 4 Neighbouring Countries of the Region, f.ex. for an equivalent "Development Plan", (as Mexico) ? Since Ankara notoriously Quarrels with Greece, Cyprus, Armenia, Syria, even Iraq, not to forget the various Kurds, etc., it doesn't seem to have many Choices left...

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+ But, in tha Controversial 2015/2016 EU - Turkey Deal on Mass Migration, Ankara attempted to usurpate Also several Other big Benefits, that Mexico didn't even Dream to get, Now, on 2019, from the USA :

    - F.ex. the Pressure was High (and might still become anew, it seems) also on Ankara's Claim for ...ALL Turks to get a Massive "Visa - Free" Status inside the EU, (which, would practically allow to 90 Millions of Turkish Passport-holders to Live, stroll as Tourists, Study, Work, intermix with the European Population, build and visit or preach at Mosques here, etc., more than 6 Months Every Year inside Europe, withOut even having to make any demand, neither ask the Authorisation of anyone !

    Something which, obviously, might provoke Various Socio-Cultural Problems and Risks, including of Security, given also a notorious Islamisation, recently in Turkey, where ISIS, Al Queda offsprings and/or Other Extremists exist still further, while even the affair of an alleged Turkish Secret Service Agent who suddenly entered in France and reportedly Murdered 3 Political Dissident Women in Paris on 2013, has not yet been elucidated, but added also to the Wider, and more Recent Scandal of alleged organized and systematic "Spying" against any kind of Political Dissidents or simply Critics, even of Journalists, etc, througfout all Germany and other EU Countries, via a Network of Islamic Mosques, in fact Controlled by the Turkish State, (etc)...

    A stuborn Refusal, by the Turkish Government, to adequately Reform its Legislation, in order to fulfill some elementary Human Rights and Democracy Issues, which are elementary Conditions for any "Visa Free" regime eventually attributed to anybody by the EU, as well as the increasingly UnPopular character of Turkey's Massive "Visa-Free" Claims inside the EU, added to the above-mentioned Dangers, (Comp. Supra), made the EU Politicians decide to Skip that Controversial point, which went Out of the Agenda, (even if Ankara, reportedly still aims to try to bring it back, on the table of negotiations, at the first occasion)...

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    >>> On the Contrary, Mexico has Not even Asked to be given (and, at any case, was Never given) any Similar Privilege of Massive "Visa-Free" Regime to All the numerous Millions of its Citizens in order to Massively enter and Regularly Stay inside the USA, as a Condition for it to Help Curb Massive Foreign Immigration !

    That Issue is Not even Discussed during the current 2018-2019 intensive USA - Mexico Talks around how to tackle Massive Irregular Migration Nowadays, and Mexican Citizens continue to Need Visas in order to enter into the USA, as also for most Other Big Countries accross the World, as Russia, China, Australia, South Africa, etc.

    Only the EU is an Exception for Mexican People, who don't need a Visa to enter Europe, probably because of their Historically close Linguistic and mainly socio-Cultural Links with Spain, the Vatican, etc., added to the Lack of any Risk of eventual Massive Displacements of Huge Populations, since they are Located OverSeas. (Threefold Conditions, added to the above-mentioned HumanRights/Democracy Issues, which, all together, are obviously Lacking in the case of Turkey vis a vis the EU)...

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    + Last, but not least, the Controversial 2015/2016 EU - Turkey Deal, even went as far as to Highlight a theoretically feasible, then, possibility to ... ReVive and/or Accelerate the parallel EU - Turkey Talks for Ankara's Controversial and UnPopular bid to become, in Future, a New EU Member !

    >>> On the Contrary, Mexico...Never Asked from the USA to accept it as a so-called "Candidate to Accession" (sic !) in the North American Federation, as a 51st Member State, so that it might Totaly Enter Inside the US itself, dangerously Enlarged up to Guatemala, in Cental America, or even troublesome Colombia, in South America, etc... And there wasn' ever any USA Top Politician so Crazy as to Ask for such a cumbersome and abnatural US "Enlargement" there, (Independently of Punctual USA Interventions just to the Strategic, InterContinental "Panama" Channel, etc, but No Further around).

    But, Paradoxically, (and Despite a Longer Distance in Both Geopolitical and socio-Cultural terms, Between Europe and Turkey, than between USA and Mexico), at least some have been, in a Past, notoriously so Crazy in the EU, (and/or so "Pushed" by Anti-European Forces from Outside), as to give at least an Appearance of a so-called attempt to ...Enlarge the EU towards Turkey, (95% Located in the Asian Continent, and Socio-Culturally Cut Away from Europe, After it transformed a precarious Residue of the collapsing Former Medieval "Ottoman Empire", into something Different, Deep in Anatolia's plateau around Ankara since 1923).

    Having Started at about 1999, this cumbersome and Strange Move towards a so-called "Enlargement" of the EU to Turkey, notoriously Faced, Soon, "Hot" Controversy and Opposition from the European People, who Launched an UnPrecedented a Series of 3 "No" to EuroReferenda, between 2005 - 2007, (in France, the Netherlands, Ireland, etc), with the Result to initially Block, and Later Delay EU's Integration, (with the Rejection of a Draft EU "Constitution" on 2005, Obliging to Wait until "Lisbon Treaty" managed to, at least, Add the Minimum Necessary, Later-on, from 2010, (having practically "Freezed" the question of Turkey, from 2007-2009+), so that, in the MeanTime, Europe found itself UnPrepared to Face the Global Economic Crisis of 2008+..., and is, in fact, Still Struggling, until Nowadays, to Catch up...

    It's in such an Exceptional and Difficult Context, that Turkey Added, precisely from 2015/2016, even that UnPrecedented Huge "Tsunami" of more than +1,5 Millions of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants suddenly Tresspassing in Europe through the Turkish Borders to EU Member Greece, up to Germany, Sweden/Finland, etc, Mixed up, at the Same Time, even with Deadly Islamist Terrorists' Attacks cowardly Targetting innocent Civilian People even Inside Europe, led by notoriously Turkey-Friendl "ISIS" Gangs, which Notoriously Aggravated the Situation also by Bringing UK's "BREXIT" at a 2016 Referendum, closely Followed by more Widely Spread, various "Euro-Sceptic" Political phenomena throughout Many EU Member Countries, while also, ipso facto, pushing to Divide anew Europe in an "East/West" Separation, more or less Similar to the CounterProductive"Cold War" Period of a Dangerous Past.

    >>> Indeed, in such conditions, the People of Europe, were obviously pushed to think that any real "European Dream", for the Creation of a Modern Democratic Society where EU Citizens' basic Rights would be Respected, High-Tech. and Civilisation Developed, as well as Human Values, Peace and Security SafeGuarded, might have been "Betrayed" by some, inside an Establishment curiously Pushing even a blatantly UnDemoratic, Oppressive, UnderDevelopped and Retrograde Turkish regime to ...Enter inside the EU, amidst a Context of approaching Conflicts, Divisions, Abrupt irregular Mass Migration, Terrorist Attacks, etc., while EU didn't yet seem eager to play a really important Role in the World, (from the Internet and SmartPhones, up to Peace-Building, etc).

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    => So that, it's Only when, even Mainstream Top EU Politicians from the Establishment, started, Recently, to Promise to the People, inter alia, also, that Turkey's Controversial and UnPopular EU bid, after having been "Freezed", will be Definitively Droped in the foreseable Future, and that Europe intends to Protect its Citizens, Defend its basic Values, while also having an Ambition to Develop its Economy and Role in the World, (as some, from various Political Horizons, promised, in particular during the latest EU Parliament's Elections of May 2019, suddenly, among others, even the Participation of EU Voters Jumped up with a Record-High TurnOut, with an Absolute Majority of People Casting a Vote, for the 1st Time during the Last 20 Years: 1999 - 2019 ! (See, f.ex.: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/voterightparticipationboost.html , etc).

    + And Now, this Brand New USA - Mexico Agreement on Mass Migration, published on June 2019, is a Fact which clearly shows that, indeed, it's Not Necessary, Neither to Block 3 Billions € each Year, in full Grants, only for a key Transit Country (like Turkey or Mexico, etc), Nor to Jeopardize EU's and/or USA's Future by making so Heavy and UnPopular Concessions to such a Neighbouring Country, as to give to it a "Free Visa" Status for its Many Tens of Millions of Population, or, even worse, to irresponsibly promise its full Accession into the EU, or into the USA (Comp. Supra) !

- How, then, did the New US President, Don Trump, achieve that Result ? It's well known that Trump, in the case of Mexico, as also, mutatis-mutandis, in the still Pending case of China, reportedly used the Threat to Impose a Tax on Imports, (Starting by 5%, in the case of Mexico, due to Grow progressively, during the Next few Months, up to 10%, 15%, 20%, etc), associiated to a Crystal-clear Time Deadline, (that he had fixed, in this case, for Next Monday), during which an Agreement on Tackling Mass Migration had to be Found, as, indeed, it was succesfully done (Comp. Supra). He has just even Warned Mexico, soon Afterwards, that if this didn't work, and/or was somehow undemined, then, the above-mentioned USA Tax on Mexico's Imports would immediately be brought Back on the Lime-Light...

- If it was so "Simple", then, Why didn't Europe do Alike, previously, in the Similar Case of Turkey (Comp. Supra) ?

Good Question, which is obviously raised Nowadays. But it's also True that the Real Situation, the overall Context, in which Europe had Previously Faced that UnPrecedented Huge "Tsunami" of more than +1,5 Millions of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants, suddenly tresspassing into the EU through Turkey, back on 2015/2016, not only had Not let Brussels any Liberty to Choose the Right Moment to Act, since Europe had to do something Urgently, then, but, Moreover, and "a fortiori", the EU notoriously Faced, then, almost at the Same Time, in Addition, some Serious Threats also from various and Many Deadly Attacks by Islamist Terrorists, Cowardly Targetting innocent Civilian People, at several Cities throughout Europe, including, then, even Paris, London, Berlin, Copenhagen, etc., added to ...Brussels itself :

- Indeed, it's, precisely, even right in the middle of an UnPrecedented, "War-like", absolute "Lock-Down", suddenly imposed in Brussels in the Aftermath of Paris' Mass Deadly Islamist Terrorist Attacks, already since November 2015, closely Followed also by another Double Islamist Terrorist Attack in Belgium's Capital too, including the Airport and "Maalbek" Metro Station at the European Quarter, that ... Negotiations with Turkey unfolded for EU Leadership, including, mainly, by the German Chancellor Angie Merkel, accompagnied also by Experienced Top MEP Elmar Brok, (as he Described, Later-on, to "Eurofora") etc., which resulted into that Controversial EU - Turkey Deal on Mass Migration (Comp. Supra)...

Some among the Paris/Brussels Attacks-related Islamist Terrorists had even Recently crossed EU's External Borders in Greece through Turkey, (the notoriously favorite corridor for ISIS' Deadly Gangs' come and going routes),  Disguised as so-called Pseudo-"Refugees" !

=> In such a Context, even the Experienced President of EU's Biggest Political Party, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, former Long-Time Chairman of EPP's MEPs Group in EU Parliament, Replying to "Eurofora" a.o.'s Questions during a Conference organized in Strasbourg's University at the Beginning of March 2016, (at the Eve of an imminent Brussels' Meeting for an EU - Turkey Deal on Mass Migration), clearly Acknowledged that, in fact, the EU was Facing a real ..."Blackmail" attempt by Turkey then...

On the Contrary, Islamist Terrorists' Deadly Attacks Never Reached USA's Washington DC Political Headquarters, (even if, during former POTUS Barack Hussein Obama's era, there were bloody Bombings Nearby, f.ex. at Boston, New York, etc). And Soon, under the New Presidency of Don Trump, even a Previous Series of Deadly Islamist Terrorist Attacks also throughout various USA Cities, started to Disappear, until ISIS was, moreover, Defeated even at its HQ in Syria/Iraq, during 2017-2018+.

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=> Does this Difference of the Recent Past, necessarily Mean that Europe, even Nowadays, perhaps canNot do Anything, vis a vis Turkey, which would be SImilar to that apparently Successfull Move of New US President Don Trump in the above-mentioned case of Mexico ?

    - Not at all ! Simply Because, Facts clearly show that Europe, not only has, Nowadays, Similar "Weapons" for an Efficient Pressure, as that which has just been used by Trump in the Mexico Mass Migration case, (Comp. Supra), but, in Addition, the EU has even some More Arms than USA, in this regard !

    * The 1st Point is Easy to Attest : Indeed, concerning the above-mentioned Threat to Impose Taxes to Imports from Neighbouring 3rd Countries of Transit for Mass Migration, (Mexico for the USA, Turkey for the EU), it's true that while Mexico's Exports to the USA and Canada reach the Heights of almost 80%, comparatively, those of Turkey to Europe are about 57%. But that looks Enough. +Also, 346 Billions $ Exports from Mexico to the USA, is Not DisProportionate to Turkey's 76 Billions € Exports to the EU, since, inter alia, the Population of Mexico is Bigger : 125 Millions of People, while that of Turkey is naturally Smaller : About 81 Millions of People... I.e., Equivalent Economic Realities exist in Both Cases.

    ** +Moreover, Europe has even an Additional Advantage, in Real Pactice, that Don Trump does Not Dispose yet : Indeed, the American President, notoriously Tried, but did Not Succeed yet, to overcome the Refusal of "Dems" Party's Opposition against Building any kind of Protection or "Wall" at the Southern Border between USA and Mexico, all along Rio Grande. On the Contrary, Europe already has, Nowadays, a First (incomplete yet, but real and functioning) kind of Protective Fence, which looks well Efficient, particularly towards the Western Balkans' route, thanks to which, Hungary and some Other European Countries had managed to Start Radicaly Stopping that Huge "Tsunami" of more than +1,5 Millions Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants tresspassing in Europe through Turkey, as Early as Since the First Months of 2016, (See : ... + ... etc).     

+ In addition, Turkey, comparatively to Mexico, is Less Important : It concerns Only 1/3 of Europe's exposure to Mass Migration Areas, (the Other 2 being Central African Sea Coasts, f.ex. through Libya, etc, and Morocco's territorial links to Spain), while, on the Contrary, Mexico controls ALL USA's exposure towards the entire Latin America !

    ++ But, Recently, Turkey's Exports towards the EU have Augmented Faster than EU's Exports to Turkey, with the Result to reach a Point after which, EU's Foreign Trade Risks to Start having a Deficit, for the First Time in More than a Decade.... So that, Nowadays, a well Justified Measure to Curb Turkish Exports to the EU would, obviously, be Interesting for Europe also from a Financial point of view... (See Relevant "EuroStat" Graphics).

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    => Therefore, EU should, normally, be Able, mutatis-mutandis, in one way or another, to do, in the case of EU-Turkey Deal on Mass Migration, at least as good as New US President Don Trump just did, on USA-Mexico's Deal on the Same Issue, if not, even Better !

    Main Condition : Consciousness, and Political Will...

(../..)

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U.S.-Mexico Joint Declaration

MEDIA NOTE

OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON / JUNE 7, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC

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The United States and Mexico met this week to address the shared challenges of irregular migration, to include the entry of migrants into the United States in violation of U.S. law. Given the dramatic increase in migrants moving from Central America through Mexico to the United States, both countries recognize the vital importance of rapidly resolving the humanitarian emergency and security situation. The Governments of the United States and Mexico will work together to immediately implement a durable solution.

As a result of these discussions, the United States and Mexico commit to:

Mexican Enforcement Surge

Mexico will take unprecedented steps to increase enforcement to curb irregular migration, to include the deployment of its National Guard throughout Mexico, giving priority to its southern border. Mexico is also taking decisive action to dismantle human smuggling and trafficking organizations as well as their illicit financial and transportation networks.

Additionally, the United States and Mexico commit to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including information sharing and coordinated actions to better protect and secure our common border.

Migrant Protection Protocols

The United States will immediately expand the implementation of the existing Migrant Protection Protocols across its entire Southern Border. This means that those crossing the U.S. Southern Border to seek asylum will be rapidly returned to Mexico where they may await the adjudication of their asylum claims.

In response, Mexico will authorize the entrance of all of those individuals for humanitarian reasons, in compliance with its international obligations, while they await the adjudication of their asylum claims. Mexico will also offer jobs, healthcare and education according to its principles.

The United States commits to work to accelerate the adjudication of asylum claims and to conclude removal proceedings as expeditiously as possible.
 

Further Actions

Both parties also agree that, in the event the measures adopted do not have the expected results, they will take further actions.

Therefore, the United States and Mexico will continue their discussions on the terms of additional understandings to address irregular migrant flows and asylum issues, to be completed and announced within 90 days, if necessary.

Ongoing Regional Strategy

The United States and Mexico reiterate their previous statement of December 18, 2018, that both countries recognize the strong links between promoting development and economic growth in southern Mexico and the success of promoting prosperity, good governance and security in Central America. The United States and Mexico welcome the Comprehensive Development Plan launched by the Government of Mexico in concert with the Governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to promote these goals.

The United States and Mexico will lead in working with regional and international partners to build a more prosperous and secure Central America to address the underlying causes of migration, so that citizens of the region can build better lives for themselves and their families at home.

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