EUROPE-MIGRANTS/MOGHERINI "Blame game" not helpful in Europe's tackling of migrant crisis -- Mogherini

Record ID: 142745

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/MOGHERINI "Blame game" not helpful in Europe's tackling of migrant crisis -- Mogherini
  • Date: 24th August 2015
  • Summary: TALLINN, ESTONIA (AUGUST 24, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EXTERIOR OF ESTONIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY FLAGS OF EU AND ESTONIA EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, FEDERICA MOGHERINI, AND ESTONIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, MARINA KALJURAND, ARRIVING VARIOUS OF MOGHERINI AND KALJURAND SHAKING HANDS MOGHERINI AND KALJURAND ENTERING MEETING ROOM, HEADS OF ESTONIAN FOREIGN MISSIONS APPLAUDING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND CAMERAMEN VARIOUS OF MOGHERINI AND KALJURAND TALKING BEGINNING OF MEETING BETWEEN MOGHERINI AND HEADS OF ESTONIAN FOREIGN MISSIONS MOGHERINI AND KALJURAND ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, FEDERICA MOGHERINI, SAYING: "And I think in this story of this huge migration flow and refugees flow that we are experiencing due to the large number of crises we have around us, we have to realise that the blame game is not bringing any kind of positive result for any of us. The main point is not saying who is doing his homework or not. The point is how do we face together the challenge and how do we manage together the issue? Again, from a European perspective we are asking Turkey to do more. Turkey itself is hosting millions of refugees, we should be aware of that and we are already supporting Turkey in this. But again, what we should do more is to work together also with Turkey but also with other countries, not only to support them in hosting this large number of refugees, but also to help in the management of the flow and most of all to try to solve the root cause." JOURNALISTS AND CAMERAMEN DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, FEDERICA MOGHERINI, SAYING: "And I would say that we are working very closely with the countries of the western Balkans to tackle this issue. But again as I mentioned this is less related to foreign policy and more to the relation with the region and to the European Union as such." JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, FEDERICA MOGHERINI, SAYING: "We cannot as European Union obviously take concrete measures to take him (Eston Kohver) back. You would not expect that to happen probably, but we discussed concrete steps and concrete measures that European Union is taking to support the Estonian authorities in their work. Our main task is to support the member states in these difficult circumstances. I understand that these are crucial days, the ones that come, and we obviously will continue to closely, very closely, coordinate our actions, our statements and our steps together with the Estonian authorities and in coordination with the family of the officer obviously as well." MOGHERINI AND KALJURAND LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM
  • Embargoed: 8th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Estonia
  • Country: Estonia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAAKUKSGS2XP8XD3CRFRGVQL4BN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: European foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in Tallinn on Monday (August 24) that Europe had to work together to tackle the "challenge" of the migrant crisis rocking the continent.
    "I think in this story of this huge migration flow and refugees flow that we are experiencing due to the large number of crises we have around us, we have to realise that the blame game is not bringing any kind of positive result for any of us. The main point is not saying who is doing his homework or not. The point is how do we face together the challenge and how do we manage together the issue? Again, from a European perspective we are asking Turkey to do more. Turkey itself is hosting millions of refugees, we should be aware of that and we are already supporting Turkey in this. But again, what we should do more is to work together also with Turkey but also with other countries, not only to support them in hosting this large number of refugees, but also to help in the management of the flow and most of all to try to solve the root cause," she said after meeting with Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas, Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand and heads of various Estonian foreign missions.
    The European Commission will make 8 million euros available for emergency assistance in the Western Balkans and Turkey, while 90,000 euros in humanitarian aid will go to Macedonia. Overall for this year, emergency funding has doubled to 50 million euros, the Commission says.
    "I would say that we are working very closely with the countries of the western Balkans to tackle this issue. But again as I mentioned this is less related to foreign policy and more to the relation with the region and to the European Union as such," Mogherini said.
    Almost 50,000 migrants arrived in Greece in July alone, more than in all of last year, according to the Commission. Italy and Hungary have also witnessed record arrivals and all are calling for help from other EU members.
    Mogherini and Kaljurand also discussed case of Estonian police officer Eston Kohver.
    Last week Kohver was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Russia, after he was allegedly abducted by Russia in a cross-border raid. Russia arrested Kohver on espionage charges in September last year, saying the Estonian was caught on Russian territory, but Tallin maintains he was taken at gunpoint at a border crossing.
    "We cannot as European Union obviously take concrete measures to take him (Eston Kohver) back. You would not expect that to happen probably, but we discussed concrete steps and concrete measures that European Union is taking to support the Estonian authorities in their work. Our main task is to support the member states in these difficult circumstances. I understand that these are crucial days, the ones that come, and we obviously will continue to closely, very closely, coordinate our actions, our statements and our steps together with the Estonian authorities and in coordination with the family of the officer obviously as well," Mogherini said.
    The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement the trial was in line with Russian and international laws and all Kohver's rights were safeguarded.
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