Cicek: Problem Of Illegal Migration Can't Be Solved Unless Link Between Illegal Migration And Terrorist Organizations Is Dissolved

ROME - Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said on Friday that problem of illegal migration could not be solved unless link between illegal migration and terrorist organizations was dissolved.
Cicek, who attended unofficial meetings of European Union (EU) justice and interior ministers organized by Italy, told A.A correspondent that Turkey was a country which was dealing with 30 percent of the illegal migration in Europe since it was a transit country.
If 500 thousand immigrants were coming to Europe a year, almost 150 thousand of them were passing through Turkey, Cicek noted.
Cicek stated that Turkey defended the same thesis on illegal migration in that meeting as it did in previous meetings.
''There is a direct link between illegal migration and terrorist organizations. Unless this link is dissolved, illegal migration can't be solved. Illegal migration is the most important source of income of organized crime gangs. Nobody except us has brought this fact onto agenda so far,'' Cicek said.
Cicek pointed out that participants discussed whether or not EU member countries would impose quota on migration in the morning session and said, ''only imposing quota will not be enough to solve the problem.''
Justice Minister Cicek emphasized that overcoming economic problems of poor countries in fight against illegal migration was also important.
Cicek noted that Turkey was ranked ''at top of countries which shouldered the highest burden'' in fight against illegal migration and said, ''a source should be transferred to Turkey for this fight. Forming a fund of 250 million Euro for five years is on the agenda at the moment. If this is accepted, Turkey will also benefit from this fund.''
When asked if some groups or political parties in Europe backed terrorist organizations in connection with illegal migration, Cicek said, ''although we say that they don't do so, we can see the realities. KADEK has not yet been accepted as a terrorist organization in some parts of Europe. Although Europe accepts PKK as a terrorist organization, it has not yet accepted KADEK, which has replaced the PKK. Therefore, problems occur. And, we are trying to stress this.''
Fight against illegal migration, crime gangs, terrorism, European police are issues taken up in the first day of the meeting held in Italian capital Rome.
(BRC-AY) 12.09.2003