EUROPE-MIGRANTS/GERMANY-CZECH Germany's Steinmeier tells central Europe solidarity is needed in migrant crisis

Record ID: 139963

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/GERMANY-CZECH Germany's Steinmeier tells central Europe solidarity is needed in migrant crisis
  • Date: 11th September 2015
  • Summary: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (SEPTEMBER 11, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CZERNIN PALACE IN PRAGUE V4 FOREIGN MINISTERS PLUS FOREIGN MINISTERS OF GERMANY AND LUXEMBOURG ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS MINISTERS SITTING DOWN (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, SAYING: "This is probably the greatest challenge the European Union has faced in its history. If we are agreed on that, we must also be in agreement that such a challenge cannot be solved by any one country alone, but we have to invoke European solidarity." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, SAYING: "I have just received the latest dramatic figures from Germany. We expect around 40,000 new refugees to arrive from our southerly and south-eastern neighbours in the next two days alone." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER, LUBOMIR ZAORALEK, SAYING: "We are convinced, I say for the Czech Republic and I think also for our partners, that our countries should keep control over what way we are deciding on the numbers of people we receive and how able we are to receive them and offer them necessary support by the integration in our countries." CAMERAS PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (German) LUXEMBOURG FOREIGN MINISTER, JEAN ASSELBORN, SAYING: "People who are persecuted and who are knocking at our door at our external borders - that these people are registered, receive health checks and clothes and are treated with dignity in the registration centres, and that we then know which European country they will be sent to - we must ensure that all this is organised and orchestrated on a European level with resources provided by the European Union." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, PETER SZIJJARTO, SAYING: "180,000 thousand immigrants have arrived in Hungary since the beginning of this year. When we look into the statistics from last year we see that when we don't do anything about it, this number could be 400 or even 500,000 by the end of the year, because this number will double by the end of October. Later than that the immigrants can't use the nautical way." CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (Slovak) SLOVAK FOREIGN MINISTER, MIROSLAV LAJCAK, SAYING: "We are speaking about some quotas but not speaking from what (basic) number this is and I think this is a legitimate question, what is the absorption capacity of the European Union? This is just the first step and it is legitimate to ask how many of these steps there will be and where they will lead us. The other thing is that Slovakia is just a transit country, the immigrants don't want to stay in Slovakia. We had 130 requests for asylum by the end of July this year, Germany had 218,000. Of every four people who arrive in Slovakia three continue further. That's why we are asking, how to ensure that these people stay in Slovakia so that we don't end with some protests where people will express that it is unfair that they have to stay in Slovakia." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER, GRZEGORZ SCHETYNA, SAYING: "Of course the principle of voluntariness should be applied, but quotas or numbers - maybe it is better to use the formulation numbers - because this word was used by Commissioner Juncker - we should comment on. The interior ministers are meeting about this issue in Brussels on Monday. This is still the preliminary proposal and this question is still open. We, sitting at this table, will keep repeating that we can't speak only about those numbers and how we will divide those numbers but it is important to speak about the security of European borders and about the possibilities of registration of illegal migrants on the territory of the European Union. These themes are a great challenge for us." JOURNALISTS MINISTERS LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 26th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Czech Republic
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADAUCWGAPSUKPO6RCQCTNVP2RK
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged central European countries on Friday (September 11) to agree to a fair way to redistribute the rising wave of refugees hitting Europe's shores, saying one country alone cannot solve the crisis.
    "This is probably the greatest challenge the European Union has faced in its history. If we are agreed on that, we must also be in agreement that such a challenge cannot be solved by any one country alone, but we have to invoke European solidarity," Steinmeier said in Prague at a news conference with his counterparts from the central European countries that most strongly oppose introducing mandatory redistribution quotas to deal with the influx.
    Most migrants are trying to reach Germany and Steinmeier said an influx of about 40,000 refugees is expected this weekend.
    The foreign ministers of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland said they agreed on several points in confronting Europe's migrant crisis, including safe shelters, external border protection and the need for a list of safe countries to return migrants.
    A plan unveiled this week by European Union chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker quadruples to 160,000 the number of refugees to be taken in, and sets mandatory quotas after countries earlier failed to offer to take in migrants on a voluntary basis.
    Central and eastern European countries have made small voluntary contributions, with Hungary the exception, but would need to take several times more under the EU plan that would redistribute refugees entering Italy, Greece and Hungary.
    While Poland has said it may take in more refugees than previously agreed, Hungary has said it made no sense to discuss quotas until Europe could protect its borders.
    Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek reiterated opposition to quotas after the meeting and said countries need to be able to keep national control over who they take in.
    "We are convinced, I say for the Czech Republic and I think also for our partners, that our countries should keep control over what way we are deciding on the numbers of people we receive and how able we are to receive them and offer them necessary support by the integration in our countries," he said.
    Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that 180,000 migrants, many refugees from conflicts in the Middle East, have entered Hungary and that figure could rise to 400,000 to 500,000 by the end of the year.
    Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak said it was legitimate to question the quota system given that most migrants want only to use Slovakia and neighbours as transit countries on their way to the richer western Europe.
    While Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said Slovakia would prefer Christian refugees who can easily integrate in the country, Lajcak said religion or ethnicity would not be considered in taking in asylum seekers.
    Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna said quotas should be voluntary, and were only one aspect of tackling the crisis.
    "We can't speak only about those numbers and how we will divide those numbers but it is important to speak about the security of European borders and about the possibilities of registration of illegal migrants on the territory of the European Union. These themes are a great challenge for us," he said.
    The central European opposition has isolated the region and they may be outvoted on Juncker's plan.
    EU interior ministers are meeting on the issue on Monday (September 14).
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