Great Britain and most central and eastern European EU members opposed quotas for the distribution of migrants.
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“The people who are only given temporary residency have to deal with the risk that they might be sent back to Syria from Switzerland at any given time”, she said, adding that this leads to feelings of insecurity for refugees.
Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic could be out-voted, but diplomats said they were trying to find consensus to avoid a row which could poison relations between member states. While the leaders are expected to sign off on any proposals agreed by justice ministers, they will also discuss more long-term measures.
What’s more, by staying in the European Union, we attend summits and council meetings that can solve other aspects of the refugee problem.
In a first step, Switzerland said it would accept 1,500 refugees on condition they are registered as asylum seekers in neighboring Italy or in Greece.
Hungary has come under intense pressure in recent months after a huge influx of refugees from the Middle East and the right-wing government has constructed a fence along its border to stop more refugees entering the country.
But faced even with a humanitarian emergency, the European Union gives priority to debates about unity and policy over immediate action to tackle Europe’s biggest refugee challenge in decades.
The human cost of the crisis has been paid by the estimated 3,000 migrants who have drowned after putting their lives in the hands of people smugglers for the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean.
In the Austrian city of Salzburg, police said between 200 and 300 refugees had arrived overnight by train from Vienna. The quota system will redistribute migrants and asylum-seekers living in dismal conditions at overcrowded reception centers in the three countries most overwhelmed by arrivals.
The USA could take in more refugees from Syria as well as help improve living conditions for Syrians in refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, Merkel said.
“[Ban] calls on all European states to ensure that they abide by their global obligations, including the right to seek asylum, and the prohibition of refoulement”, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.
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President of Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) Manfred Schmidt, Germany’s top official responsible for the processing of applications by asylum-seekers, has requested interior minister Thomas de Maiziere to relieve him of his responsibilities, the ministry said in a statement.
