Blanket" Returns Or Refoulement Should Be Prevented: Coe General Secretary

The Council of Europe (CoE) welcomed principles set out by the European Commission or EU-Turkey refugee deal.

Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland praised the principles for "further developing cooperation between the European Union and Turkey" in tackling the crisis.

"It is extremely important that every application for asylum should be treated individually and there should be no question of 'blanket' returns or refoulement, in line with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. I welcome the fact that this was clarified by Commission First Vice-President Timmermans yesterday" he said.

"I hope that these principles will prevail during the negotiations starting in Brussels today" the Secretary General added. - Strasbourg