Fair EU migrant distribution possible with new Italian government - Germany's Seehofer
Record ID:
1433087
Fair EU migrant distribution possible with new Italian government - Germany's Seehofer
- Title: Fair EU migrant distribution possible with new Italian government - Germany's Seehofer
- Date: 19th September 2019
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 19, 2019) (REUTERS) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER HORST SEEHOFER ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE SEEHOFER'S HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER, HORST SEEHOFER, SAYING: "The new Italian interior minister visited me yesterday here in Berlin and the way the talks went makes me confident that we are able to open a new chapter of good cooperation with Italy." SEEHOFER SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER, HORST SEEHOFER, SAYING: "With the new Italian government we have the new great opportunity in Europe to address the pressing issues, in this case, sea rescue and to find a concept for it. If Germany does not take on this opportunity it would be a huge mistake." REPORTERS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER, HORST SEEHOFER, SAYING: "We have to grab this opportunity with the new Italian government and the talks yesterday increased my confidence that it can be possible to present a sea rescue concept to the other EU member states at the summit on October 18 with the message that as many member states as possible should participate." PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING PICTURE (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER, HORST SEEHOFER, SAYING: "I hope that the three large countries France, Italy and Germany will be the driving force and that then, many, many European countries will join. Talking from experience in my current position, we urgently need a European solution to these migration topics. My ministry is working on one simultaneously." CAMERA CREWS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER, HORST SEEHOFER, SAYING: "The French president at some point mentioned 14 countries he sees as a possibility. I believe that with a lot of effort, also from our heads of government, a dozen could be achieved." SEEHOFER SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER, HORST SEEHOFER, SAYING: "We will also speak to NGOs to make clear that this is about sea rescue and not a direct or indirect support of criminal people smugglers." REPORTERS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER, HORST SEEHOFER, SAYING: "We are participating solidarily in the rescue of people in distress at sea in Europe. I rigourously reject criticism of this procedure. It's unbelievable that the German interior minister would have to justify himself for rescuing people from drowning."
- Embargoed: 3rd October 2019 14:07
- Keywords: German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer migration policies migrants border EU distribution
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AXBO0NB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A fair distribution of migrants across the European Union could be achieved at next month's EU summit now that Italy has a new government, Germany's interior minister said on Thursday.
Horst Seehofer told reporters the meeting with his new Italian counterpart a day earlier made him "confident" that a "new chapter" in relations between Berlin and Rome could be opened.
Seehofer, of the conservative CSU said he hoped Europe's largest countries France, Germany and Italy could be the "driving force" at the October 18 Brussels summit and that "many, many European countries will join."
"We urgently need a European solution," he added.
Last week, Seehofer announced that Germany was ready to take in a quarter of migrants who reach Italy by sea, signalling a goodwill gesture to a southern neighbour ahead of EU talks on immigration.
European Union countries want to reach a temporary agreement on sharing out the care for migrants who reach the bloc's shores when interior ministers meet in Malta on Sept. 23.
EU states have been at odds on the issue since a surge in 2015 in arrivals of people fleeing conflicts and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.
(Production: Zoltan Berta, Michele Sani) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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