(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Leaders of the 28-member EU had a long discussion on the Greek debt crisis "and are fully aware of the situation and potential consequences," President of the European Council Donald Tusk told a press conference early Friday after a whole night of discussions.
"As you know there is not yet an agreement between Greece and the Institutions and hence no agreement in the Eurogroup. That is why I asked the President of the Eurogroup to brief leaders on the state of negotiations with Greece," he noted.
"We agree on our support for the Institutions and the current process of negotiations. Leaders have agreed there is no need for another Euro Summit, not tomorrow or over the weekend. Leaders expect the Eurogroup to conclude this process at their meeting on Saturday," he added.
The EU leaders also had a very long discussion on migration in search for a new European consensus on migration, said Tusk .
Migrants with no legal right to enter the EU must be returned. Today, leaders agreed to accelerate readmission negotiations with the third countries and to fully implement EU rules on returns, he stated.
The EU's border-control agency Frontex will get more powers to help return illegal migrants. EU Leaders agreed that 40,000 persons in need will be relocated from Greece and Italy to other EU states over the next two years. EU Interior ministers will finalise the scheme by the end of July. And another 20,000 will be resettled. So that is a total of 60,000 persons in need of protection, said Tusk. Finally, he added, that the British Prime Minister set out his plans for an EU in/out referendum. "So the talks on UK renegotiation will now get underway. It was the first step in a longer process that will also end at the European Council," he said.
Tusk emphasized that the fundamental values of the European Union are not for sale and so are non-negotiable. "We should consider British concerns, but only in a way which will be safe for all Europe. We will come back to this in December," he added.(end)
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