Merkel says Germany will support Cyprus

Speaking in Istanbul at a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Merkel offer aid and concessions to Turkey in exchange for measures to stem the mass movement of migrants across Europe's borders.

In a statement, Erdogan said he had asked Merkel for support in accelerating Turkey's efforts to obtain union membership.

"Of course, the consent of all member states is required for accession".

This included giving Turkey more support in caring for the refugees and providing humanitarian aid, as well as helping to secure borders and combat criminal smuggling rings, she said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has held talks with Turkish leaders in Istanbul in a bid to win Turkey's cooperation in addressing the historic flow of refugees to Europe.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said that the offer was aimed at keeping over two million Syrian refugees in Turkey and prevent them from attempting to cross into Europe. At least 4,000 refugees have arrived in the country so far, and the army has been placed on standby to help police deal with the influx, according to media reports.

"We are establishing a link between the delivery of Turkey as far as migration is concerned and the visa issues".

Almost half a million people, including many Syrians now despairing of an end to the war in their homeland, have made unsafe journeys by sea from Turkey to Greece this year, a surge that has plunged the European Union into crisis.

"We need guarantees that Turkey's response to our offer will be as concrete and as substantive as ours", European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday.

The crisis has already claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people this year who have drowned while making the unsafe crossing of the Mediterranean as they flee conflict and repression in the Middle East and elsewhere.

"We still must clarify the timelines, what should happen, when, how reliable our promises of support are, how reliable Turkey's promises of regulation are", she said early Friday.

Turkey and European Union have agreed to a "draft" agreement on migrants which will be implemented only after Ankara's political demands are met by Brussels, Turkish officials said.

"Angela Merkel must insist that Turkey cleans up its act before treating it as a reliable partner the EU's border management", Gardner said.

The German chancellor is also scheduled to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during her visit, who has come up against fresh criticism from the worldwide community in recent months for alleged human rights violations.

While Turkey is pushing to get its nationals to be put on a "safe countries" list to get them easy asylum in Europe, Germany is concerned there will be a massive rush of Turkish Kurds, who make up around 25 per cent of Turkey's population and have periodically been ostracised by the Turks.