- Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/MERKEL Germany, Austria seek EU summit on refugees next week
- Date: 15th September 2015
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 15, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL AND HER AUSTRIAN COUNTERPART WERNER FAYMANN ARRIVING CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "This problem can only be solved by the whole European Union. It's the responsibility of the entire European Union and that's why we agreed to have a special EU summit next week. (European Council president) Donald Tusk will look into that." FAYMANN LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "As good neighbours, it was self-evident that we took this decision [to open the border]. That was the right decision and it helped a lot of people." MERKEL'S HANDS HOLDING PAPERS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "How can we better help the countries from which the refugees come? A large EU effort is needed here. Second, how can we work more with Turkey." CAMERAMEN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "It's true: Germany, Austria and Sweden cannot solve the problem alone." REPORTERS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (German) AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR, WERNER FAYMANN, SAYING: "Three countries cannot carry out the necessary EU foreign policy, as madam chancellor mentioned. That's why an EU summit is urgent, as the chancellor said." MERKEL LISTENING REPORTER TYPING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "I think we need to get back to a European spirit. My hope that this would be achieved through threats is very small and not pronounced." PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PHOTOS FAYMANN AND MERKEL POSING FOR PHOTOS, SHAKING HANDS
- Embargoed: 30th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAC04IGMJIMCPDQX6GVAY7Z7S37
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Germany and Austria want a special European Union summit next week to tackle the refugee crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said on Tuesday (September 15).
At a joint news conference in Berlin, Merkel said Germany, Austria and Sweden -- countries that have borne the brunt of a wave of refugees from Asia, the Middle East and Africa -- could not handle the refugee crisis on their own.
"This problem can only be solved by the whole European Union. It's the responsibility of the entire European Union and that's why we agreed to have a special EU summit next week. (European Council president) Donald Tusk will look into that," she said.
"Three countries cannot carry out the necessary EU foreign policy, as madam chancellor mentioned. That's why an EU summit is urgent, as the chancellor said," her Austrian counterpart agreed.
Merkel defended Germany's decision to impose border controls on Monday (September 14) in the face of an influx of asylum seekers, saying the move was intended to make it easier to register refugees. She said that there also needs to be a "large EU effort" to help countries like Syria and Iraq where many refugees are coming from. She also proposed working closer with Turkey, another country that's also seen a large influx of Syrian refugees. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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