BERLIN – The German leader said during the German-Hellenic Economic Forum event in Berlin that that Turkey bears a “great burden” with its huge refugee population, but added that Ankara “can expect no understanding if it tries to solve its own problems on the back of refugees who then get stranded in a dead end at the Turkish-Greek border.”

The German chancellor also termed Turkey’s behavior on the migration issue “unacceptable” and said that “despite our understanding for the great burden Turkey has assumed, by hosting 3.5 million refugees, it cannot expect understanding when it tries to resolve its own problems by using refugees, who were led to an impasse at the Greek-Turkish borders.”

She expressed support for the EU-Turkey joint statement but said it should be established on a new basis. She expressed her optimism over the meeting today (March 9) of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with the EU leaders in Brussels, and spoke of extensive preparations by phone by all sides before the meetings.

The German chancellor also referred to Germany’s decision to lead “a coalition of the willing” to host unaccompanied migrant children, “so as not to leave Greece to resolve the issue on its own.”