ANKARA (REUTERS) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed on Monday (May 23) that Turkey needs talks with EU institutions on its sensitivities in the fight against terrorism as they try to keep a landmark migration deal on track.

Erdogan's office said in a statement that he and Merkel had also agreed, during a meeting on the sidelines of a humanitarian summit in Istanbul, on the need to continue cooperation against illegal migration.

The EU has promised visa-free travel for Turks as part of the migration deal, provided Ankara meets criteria including changes to its broad anti-terrorism laws. Erdogan has said Turkey cannot change such laws at a time when it is fighting the threat from both Islamic State and Kurdish militants.