Germany, Turkey to Enhance Cooperation to Combat Migrant Smugglers

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to boost cooperation to jointly tackle the migrant crisis, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Wednesday.

BERLIN (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, the two leaders held a phone conversation on the refugee situation in the region.

"They [Merkel, Erdogan] agreed to intensify cooperation between Germany and Turkey in overcoming the crisis. Wherein, the fight against refugee smugglers is of particular importance," Seibert said.

During the call Merkel praised Turkey for the tremendous efforts it is making in hosting about 2 million Syrian refugees, Seibert said. The leaders agreed that the Syrian conflict requires a political resolution.