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| Migrant crisis: EU meeting seeks to heal growing rifts | Migrant crisis: EU meeting seeks to heal growing rifts |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ministers from EU and Balkan nations are meeting in Brussels to try to heal rifts over migrants that have plunged common policy into chaos. | Ministers from EU and Balkan nations are meeting in Brussels to try to heal rifts over migrants that have plunged common policy into chaos. |
| Austria, Serbia and Macedonia have taken their own steps to limit entry to migrants, angering Greece, which fears the controls will cause a bottleneck. | Austria, Serbia and Macedonia have taken their own steps to limit entry to migrants, angering Greece, which fears the controls will cause a bottleneck. |
| A surge in migration, and the failure to agree an EU-wide response, have led to warnings about the bloc's survival. | A surge in migration, and the failure to agree an EU-wide response, have led to warnings about the bloc's survival. |
| More than 100,000 migrants have entered the EU illegally this year. | More than 100,000 migrants have entered the EU illegally this year. |
| European Council president Donald Tusk has warned that the failure to make progress towards resolving the crisis could increase the likelihood of the UK voting to leave the EU this year. | European Council president Donald Tusk has warned that the failure to make progress towards resolving the crisis could increase the likelihood of the UK voting to leave the EU this year. |
| The EU interior ministers meeting in Brussels will hear plans drawn up by Austria and eight Balkan countries that seek to restrict the numbers entering their borders. | The EU interior ministers meeting in Brussels will hear plans drawn up by Austria and eight Balkan countries that seek to restrict the numbers entering their borders. |
| An official from the current Dutch presidency of the EU told the AFP news agency that the purpose of Thursday's meetings would be "to allow us to avoid surprises - we have to avoid that one country is surprised by the measures taken by another". | An official from the current Dutch presidency of the EU told the AFP news agency that the purpose of Thursday's meetings would be "to allow us to avoid surprises - we have to avoid that one country is surprised by the measures taken by another". |
| Relocation deal explained | Relocation deal explained |
| Hungary proposes its own deal | Hungary proposes its own deal |
| Why central Europe says 'No' | Why central Europe says 'No' |
| EU migration: Crisis in graphics | EU migration: Crisis in graphics |
| In separate developments | In separate developments |
| The new measures - from Austria and its Balkan partners - include fingerprinting all entrants and turning back anyone without a passport or holding fake documents. | The new measures - from Austria and its Balkan partners - include fingerprinting all entrants and turning back anyone without a passport or holding fake documents. |
| The countries have also pledged to accept only those they deem to be in need of protection, which has already been interpreted by some governments as meaning only Syrians and Iraqis. | The countries have also pledged to accept only those they deem to be in need of protection, which has already been interpreted by some governments as meaning only Syrians and Iraqis. |
| Macedonia enacted the measures at its border with Greece over the weekend, barring entry to Afghans, who make up many of the migrants. | Macedonia enacted the measures at its border with Greece over the weekend, barring entry to Afghans, who make up many of the migrants. |
| Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner described the measures as a "chain reaction of reason" and warned that the crisis could threaten the EU's survival if it was not brought under control. | Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner described the measures as a "chain reaction of reason" and warned that the crisis could threaten the EU's survival if it was not brought under control. |
| Sebastian Kurz, the Austrian foreign minister, told German TV that Europe had to "abandon this goal of allowing in unlimited numbers". | Sebastian Kurz, the Austrian foreign minister, told German TV that Europe had to "abandon this goal of allowing in unlimited numbers". |
| "We in Austria are overwhelmed," he said. "It cannot be that all migrants make their applications for asylum in Western Europe." | "We in Austria are overwhelmed," he said. "It cannot be that all migrants make their applications for asylum in Western Europe." |
| But the plans drew sharp criticism from Greece, which is the first stop on European soil for thousands of migrants arriving by sea every day. On Thursday so far, some 2,000 migrants have been ferried from eastern islands to the port of Piraeus, Athens. | But the plans drew sharp criticism from Greece, which is the first stop on European soil for thousands of migrants arriving by sea every day. On Thursday so far, some 2,000 migrants have been ferried from eastern islands to the port of Piraeus, Athens. |
| Greece has threatened to block all decisions at EU migration summits next month if member states do not agree to take in quotas of migrants. | Greece has threatened to block all decisions at EU migration summits next month if member states do not agree to take in quotas of migrants. |
| Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said his country was turning into a "permanent warehouse of souls" and should not be left to deal with the crisis alone. | Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said his country was turning into a "permanent warehouse of souls" and should not be left to deal with the crisis alone. |
| "From now on, Greece will not agree to deals if we do not secure the mandatory sharing of the burden and responsibility proportionally among member states," Mr Tsipras said. | "From now on, Greece will not agree to deals if we do not secure the mandatory sharing of the burden and responsibility proportionally among member states," Mr Tsipras said. |
| German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told a German newspaper that it was an "illusion" to think Greece could be excluded from any agreements on migration. | |
| The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has also criticised the latest measures. "The response is not closures, it is co-operation," said the agency's head, Filippo Grandi. "Everybody has to take a share of this burden." | The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has also criticised the latest measures. "The response is not closures, it is co-operation," said the agency's head, Filippo Grandi. "Everybody has to take a share of this burden." |
| Germany's parliament has meanwhile backed new measures to speed up the processing of claims from migrants who are less likely to be granted asylum. | Germany's parliament has meanwhile backed new measures to speed up the processing of claims from migrants who are less likely to be granted asylum. |
| The move envisages the creation of new reception centres where certain categories of asylum-seekers - those from so-called countries "safe countries of origin" or those who have not helped the authorities with their claims - can have their claims processed within three weeks. | The move envisages the creation of new reception centres where certain categories of asylum-seekers - those from so-called countries "safe countries of origin" or those who have not helped the authorities with their claims - can have their claims processed within three weeks. |
| The measures also include a controversial provision to delay family reunions for migrants who are not believed to "personally persecuted". | The measures also include a controversial provision to delay family reunions for migrants who are not believed to "personally persecuted". |
| Last September, EU ministers agreed plans to relocate 120,000 migrants from Italy, Greece and Hungary to other EU countries. But the majority vote decision was opposed by Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. | Last September, EU ministers agreed plans to relocate 120,000 migrants from Italy, Greece and Hungary to other EU countries. But the majority vote decision was opposed by Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. |
| What the European papers say - BBC Monitoring | What the European papers say - BBC Monitoring |
| Several papers from countries in the thick of the EU migrant crisis are worried about their leaders' approach. | Several papers from countries in the thick of the EU migrant crisis are worried about their leaders' approach. |
| Influential journalist Alan Posener, in Germany's Die Welt, believes Chancellor Angela Merkel's "short-sighted actions" on the crisis are helping Russia sow division among European states. "The EU is blowing up around Merkel - to Putin's delight," he writes. | Influential journalist Alan Posener, in Germany's Die Welt, believes Chancellor Angela Merkel's "short-sighted actions" on the crisis are helping Russia sow division among European states. "The EU is blowing up around Merkel - to Putin's delight," he writes. |
| Austria's Kronen Zeitung also reports that Mrs Merkel is under pressure to consider Austrian and Balkan proposals to restrict the flow of refugees. "Will Berlin join the 'Viennese way'?" a headline asks. But another Austrian paper, the Kurier, worries that the proposals have put Vienna "on a collision course with the EU". | Austria's Kronen Zeitung also reports that Mrs Merkel is under pressure to consider Austrian and Balkan proposals to restrict the flow of refugees. "Will Berlin join the 'Viennese way'?" a headline asks. But another Austrian paper, the Kurier, worries that the proposals have put Vienna "on a collision course with the EU". |
| Meanwhile, Greek daily I Kathemerini laments that "the nightmare scenario of tens of thousands of refugees and migrants trapped has come to pass", adding that the government is ill-prepared for this situation, and cannot negotiate its way out. | Meanwhile, Greek daily I Kathemerini laments that "the nightmare scenario of tens of thousands of refugees and migrants trapped has come to pass", adding that the government is ill-prepared for this situation, and cannot negotiate its way out. |
| "Regardless of Greek shortcomings," the paper says, "Europeans have a responsibility not to feed the snake of anti-European sentiment in Greece." | "Regardless of Greek shortcomings," the paper says, "Europeans have a responsibility not to feed the snake of anti-European sentiment in Greece." |
| On Wednesday Hungary announced it would hold a referendum on accepting mandatory EU migrant quotas. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stressed that the quotas "could redraw Europe's cultural and religious identity". | On Wednesday Hungary announced it would hold a referendum on accepting mandatory EU migrant quotas. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stressed that the quotas "could redraw Europe's cultural and religious identity". |
| In an interview with German newspaper Bild, he said Europe was paying Turkey to secure its borders as it could not protect them itself. | In an interview with German newspaper Bild, he said Europe was paying Turkey to secure its borders as it could not protect them itself. |
| "This policy makes Europe's future and security reliant on the goodwill of Turkey," he warned. The referendum is expected to be held in the autumn, subject to parliamentary approval. | "This policy makes Europe's future and security reliant on the goodwill of Turkey," he warned. The referendum is expected to be held in the autumn, subject to parliamentary approval. |
| More than 100,000 migrants have arrived in Greece and Italy so far this year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. | More than 100,000 migrants have arrived in Greece and Italy so far this year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. |
| More than 400 migrants died attempting to make the journey during the same period, the IOM said. | More than 400 migrants died attempting to make the journey during the same period, the IOM said. |
| A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants. | A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants. |