Brussels, 18/05/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 14 May in Athens, Greece and Turkey signed a bilateral agreement on sending illegal immigrants back to Turkey. According to the Greek ministry for the protection of citizens, thousands of these immigrants are flooding into the country along the Greek coastline. The agreement includes the “efficient application” of a readmission protocol concluded ten years ago but which Ankara has not been respecting. According to a press release from the ministry, this agreement was signed by the Greek minister, Michalis Chryssohoïdis, and his Turkish counterpart, Besir Atalay, as part of the visit to Athens by the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In a joint document co-signed by the two ministers, Turkey makes a commitment to “take all measures necessary” to implement this protocol, explained the Greek ministry. “Turkey has to designate a port in Izmir or near the city and open a border post there within a three-month deadline. This border post will be used for readmitting illegal immigrants”, explained the Greek communiqué. Turkey is also committed to accepting “at least 1000 readmission requests a year”. Greece is the country in the EU where the largest number of illegal immigrants arrive every year. During the first six months of 2009, Greece alone accounted for 70% of the total number of interceptions made at the Union's borders. This amounts to 51,600 people registered by the European border surveillance agency, Frontex. The European Commission is also currently concluding a readmission agreement on illegal immigrants from Turkey (EUROPE 10138). (B.C./transl.fl)