Merkel says 'no plan B' for migration deal with Turkey

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Feb. 28 said there was no 'Plan B' for the European Union deal reached with Turkey for reducing the flow of migrants, defending her open-door policy for migrants and  rejecting any limit on the number of refugees allowed into her country despite divisions within her government. 

Merkel said there was no 'Plan B' for her aim of reducing the flow of migrants through cooperation with Turkey, efforts she said could unravel were Germany to cap the number of refugees it accepts. 

"Sometimes, I also despair. Some things go too slow. There are many conflicting interests in Europe," Merkel told state broadcaster ARD on Feb. 28. "But it is my damn duty to do everything I can so that Europe finds a collective way." 

Merkel spelled out her motivation to keep Germany's borders open without limits on refugees, a goal many in her own country and coalition government openly disagree with. 

"There is so much violence and hardship on our doorstep," she said. "What's right for Germany in the long term? There, I think it is to keep Europe together and to show humanity." 

EU countries 'must work together'

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Greek daily Ta Nea in an interview on Feb. 29 that the EU countries must work together to deal with the migrant crisis troubling the bloc and avoid blaming each other. 

"We must fight for Europe. We must stop blaming each other. On the contrary, we must unite forces and work together for a European solution to the refugee crisis. This is the only way for Europe to emerge stronger from this crisis," Steinmeier was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Merkel, once highly popular, has seen her ratings plummet because of her handling of...