European Council President Donald Tusk has warned illegal economic migrants against coming to Europe, during a new push to solve the EU migrant crisis.
He said illegal economic migrants were risking "lives and money" for nothing
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Mr Tusk is visiting Greece and Turkey to try to secure agreement on reducing the flow of migrants travelling west.
More than 25,000 migrants have been left stranded in Greece by a tightening of border controls to the north, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.
On Thursday, a group of migrants blocked a railway line on the Greek side of the border with Macedonia to protest at the restrictions.
They were imposed after several Balkan countries decided only to allow Syrian and Iraqi migrants across their frontiers. Austria also decided to limit numbers.
The move effectively barred passage to thousands of people seeking to reach western Europe, including Afghans as well as some more likely to be regarded as economic migrants.
After meeting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens on Thursday, Mr Tusk said he was appealing to "all potential illegal economic migrants", wherever they may be from.
"Do not come to Europe," he said. "Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing."
He also said EU member states must avoid taking unilateral action to deal with the migrant crisis.
AFP
Separately, UK Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande discussed security and migration issues, including conditions at the French port of Calais, where thousands of migrants hoping to enter the UK have been living rough.
After the talks in the French city of Amiens, Mr Hollande warned of "consequences" for management of migrants heading to Britain if the UK voted to leave the European Union in a June referendum.
Earlier, French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said his country could allow migrants to travel unchecked to the UK in the event of a so-called "Brexit".
He told the Financial Times newspaper that an exit vote could end a bilateral deal allowing the UK to vet new arrivals on French territory.
Authorities in Calais have been clearing part of a sprawling camp known as the Jungle, from where many migrants are trying to enter the UK illegally.
AP
Ahead of an EU-Turkey summit on the issue on Monday, Mr Tusk travelled to Turkey later on Thursday for talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
Mr Davutoglu said that the flow of Syrian refugees would lessen if the cessation of hostilities in the conflict held, adding that violations by Syrian government and Russian forces had left it vulnerable.
Mr Tusk said earlier this week that Europe was ready to grant "substantial financial support" to countries neighbouring war-torn regions such as Syria and Iraq.
"But at the same time we expect a more intensive engagement from our partners as an absolute precondition to avoid a humanitarian disaster," he said.
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