Athens agree to take back migrants who apply for asylum in Greece – Berlin

The German government has said Greece has agreed to take back migrants who apply for asylum there and later turn up at Germany’s border with Austria. That brings the government closer to implementing a deal to defuse a German political spat over migration, AP said. Berlin and Athens have reached an agreement and need only a formal exchange of letters to complete it, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Eleonore Petermann said Friday. The ministry did not provide any details ahead of the signing. The deal with Greece follows an agreement with Spain that took effect last weekend. Talks with Italy are “far advanced,” according to Petermann. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer in June  threatened to turn back previously registered migrants unilaterally at the German-Austrian border. Chancellor Angela Merkel said, however, that Germany must first reach agreements with other countries.