Erdogan meets Orban, criticises Greek PM's comment

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday rejected suggestions by Greece that Turkey was responsible for a migration dispute between two regional rivals.

"To say that migrant crisis originates from Turkish side is ingratitude," Erdogan said, during a joint news conference with visiting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Ans claimed this week Turkish coast guard escorted a boat of migrants who were trying to illegally reach Greece.

Thousands of people fleeing conflict or poverty in Mideast, Africa and Asia try to enter Greece every year from Turkey.

Under a 2016 agreement with European Union, of which Greece is a member, Turkey vowed to stem flow of migrants.

But Greece has repeatedly accused Turkey - which has its own large migrant population - of encouraging and facilitating attempted crossings.

IMAGE: AP