BERLIN (AP) — The Latest on preparations for the start of the European Union summit (all times local):
1:55 p.m.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will press other European Union leaders at a summit this week to work with Turkey to curb the flow of migrants.
Merkel says it would be "ridiculous" to talk about setting new quotas to divide up migrants among EU nations when a previous quota has not yet been fulfilled.
Instead, she told parliament on Wednesday that Europe should work with Turkey to improve the lives of Syrian and other refugees there.
She says "our goal is to drastically and lastingly reduce the number of migrants so as to better help those people who really need our assistance."
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1:50 p.m.
Chancellor Angela Merkel says it's in Germany's "national interest" for Britain to remain part of the European Union.
Merkel told parliament on Wednesday that Britain was a key ally of Germany on many issues and that she would do everything possible to ensure that the nation remained an "active member" of the trade bloc.
Merkel's comments came ahead of a two-day summit in Brussels where Britain's upcoming referendum on whether to stay in the EU is a major topic.
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