The Presidential Communications Directorate rejected recent reports by some media outlets, claiming that Britain was allegedly in talks with Türkiye and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Northern Iraq to stop irregular migration in return for cash.
In a statement, the directorate said claims reported by some media outlets are not correct.
“It is out of the question to hold talks or reach a deal between Türkiye and the U.K. about irregular migrants, contrary to the claims on the reports,” the directorate said, adding that statements not made by official sources are not reliable.
The reports the directorate rejected claimed that the British home office would pay millions of pounds to the KRG, Türkiye and Vietnam to halt the departure of irregular migrants on boats across the English Channel.
Britain and France have been attempting to stop the flow of irregular migrants, who pay smugglers large sums of money for oftentimes deadly passage to England from France aboard small boats.
Türkiye has been one of the main destinations for refugees trying to cross into Europe, especially since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Every year, hundreds of thousands of migrants flee civil conflict or economic hardship in their home countries with the hope of reaching Europe.
Some migrants make dangerous journeys over land or sea with the assistance of smugglers, who often abandon them, especially during sea journeys, after receiving thousands of dollars from each migrant. Others are stopped by Turkish security forces before crossing the border into Europe.
In some cases, neighboring Greece is accused of pushing back migrants in a controversial practice. In the Aegean Sea, Greek coast guard boats often drive out approaching migrant boats to the Greek islands.