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| Refugee crisis: Germany 'expecting as many as 10,000' arrivals as refugees head through Austria | Refugee crisis: Germany 'expecting as many as 10,000' arrivals as refugees head through Austria |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| German police say they are expecting the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees following a deal with Hungary that has allowed thousands of people to cross into Austria. | German police say they are expecting the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees following a deal with Hungary that has allowed thousands of people to cross into Austria. |
| Hundreds of refugees arrived in Munich by train from Austria on Saturday, and many more are expected to follow. | Hundreds of refugees arrived in Munich by train from Austria on Saturday, and many more are expected to follow. |
| "We don't have reliable figures yet, but we are expecting between 5,000 and 10,000 refugees today," Stefan Sonntag, a police spokesman, was quoted by Reuters as saying. | "We don't have reliable figures yet, but we are expecting between 5,000 and 10,000 refugees today," Stefan Sonntag, a police spokesman, was quoted by Reuters as saying. |
| The new arrivals are being taken to a reception center for immigration and asylum registration and may be distributed to shelters elsewhere in the country over the coming days. | The new arrivals are being taken to a reception center for immigration and asylum registration and may be distributed to shelters elsewhere in the country over the coming days. |
| The arrival of the refugees comes after neighbouring Austria welcomed more than 6,000 people across its border with Hungary, which has taken a hardline on the refugee crisis. | |
| Viktor Orban, the country's prime minister, warned emergency measures that had facilitated the migrants travel to Austria and Germany would not solve the refugee problem, and threatened to send troops to his country's border with Serbia in a bid to stem the tide. | |
| Migrants at a railway station in Vienna board a train to Germany (Reuters) Austria said it had agreed with Germany that it would allow the refugees access, waiving the rules of an asylum system brought to breaking point by Europe's worst refugee crisis since the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. | |
| The UN refugee agency praised Austria and Germany for deciding to take in thousands of migrants who crossed the border from Hungary, calling it a demonstration of "political leadership based on humanitarian values". | |
| Although Austria has said it will offer asylum opportunities to the new arrivals, most say they want to settle in Germany. | |
| Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Austria's interior minister, said on Saturday that of the thousands of refugees now coming into Austria, only about 10 had applied for asylum. | Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Austria's interior minister, said on Saturday that of the thousands of refugees now coming into Austria, only about 10 had applied for asylum. |
| "More than 3,000 refugees reached Austria last night. Each refugee can of course apply for asylum in Austria and is being informed of this possibility," she said. | "More than 3,000 refugees reached Austria last night. Each refugee can of course apply for asylum in Austria and is being informed of this possibility," she said. |
| "Around 10 refugees have applied for asylum in Austria so far. The others want to continue, primarily to Germany. And I stress once again that our police officers will not use force to counter these people, families and children." | "Around 10 refugees have applied for asylum in Austria so far. The others want to continue, primarily to Germany. And I stress once again that our police officers will not use force to counter these people, families and children." |
| Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, has said that her country will not prevent anyone from seeking asylum. | Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, has said that her country will not prevent anyone from seeking asylum. |
| "The right to political asylum has no limits on the number of asylum seekers," Ms Merkel told the Funke consortium of newspapers in an interview. | "The right to political asylum has no limits on the number of asylum seekers," Ms Merkel told the Funke consortium of newspapers in an interview. |
| But she repeated her government's position that those who fail to meet the criteria for asylum will be returned to their home countries. | But she repeated her government's position that those who fail to meet the criteria for asylum will be returned to their home countries. |
| Refugees smile as they arrive at the village of Nickelsdorf in Austria (Getty) Germany's willingness to help migrants and refugees - in contrast to other European governments such as Hungary and the UK - has added to the desire among many migrants to strike out for Germany. | Refugees smile as they arrive at the village of Nickelsdorf in Austria (Getty) Germany's willingness to help migrants and refugees - in contrast to other European governments such as Hungary and the UK - has added to the desire among many migrants to strike out for Germany. |
| The move by Austria and Germany has eased the burden on Hungary, helping to bring to an end a tense three-day stand-off between refugees and Hungarian officials. | |
| Hungary had demanded those crossing through its territory report to government-run asylum centres, but eventually relented in the face of resistance from the migrants and refugees and provided buses to the Austrian border. | Hungary had demanded those crossing through its territory report to government-run asylum centres, but eventually relented in the face of resistance from the migrants and refugees and provided buses to the Austrian border. |
| The bus rides ended on Saturday and Hungary insisted they were a one-off, but hundreds more migrants and refugees continued to gather in Budapest. | |
| Trains from Budapest to Western Europe remained cancelled and hundreds set off on foot, saying they would walk to the Austrian border, 170km away, just as others had on Friday. | |
| One Syrian man, who declined to give his name, was quoted by Reuters as saying: "Hungary should be fired from the European Union. Such bad treatment." | One Syrian man, who declined to give his name, was quoted by Reuters as saying: "Hungary should be fired from the European Union. Such bad treatment." |
| "We're happy. We'll go to Germany," another, who gave his name as Mohammed, said. | "We're happy. We'll go to Germany," another, who gave his name as Mohammed, said. |
| German officials recently predicted that up to 800,000 migrants and refugees would arrive by the end of the year, many from Syria, Iraq and Eritrea. | German officials recently predicted that up to 800,000 migrants and refugees would arrive by the end of the year, many from Syria, Iraq and Eritrea. |
| (Additional reporting by agencies) | (Additional reporting by agencies) |