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| Migrants crisis: Austria and Balkans call for EU answer | Migrants crisis: Austria and Balkans call for EU answer |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Serbia and Macedonia have told a summit in Vienna the EU must come up with an action plan to respond to the influx of migrants into Europe. | Serbia and Macedonia have told a summit in Vienna the EU must come up with an action plan to respond to the influx of migrants into Europe. |
| A record number of 107,500 migrants crossed the EU's borders last month and on Wednesday police counted more than 3,000 crossing into Serbia. | A record number of 107,500 migrants crossed the EU's borders last month and on Wednesday police counted more than 3,000 crossing into Serbia. |
| Austria has complained that the EU has failed to pay enough attention to migrants entering the Western Balkans. | Austria has complained that the EU has failed to pay enough attention to migrants entering the Western Balkans. |
| And Germany has called on all European states to share the burden. | And Germany has called on all European states to share the burden. |
| Thursday's summit was expected to discuss ways to strengthen support for Western Balkan states as well as ways of tackling human trafficking gangs and providing better protection for the EU's external borders. | Thursday's summit was expected to discuss ways to strengthen support for Western Balkan states as well as ways of tackling human trafficking gangs and providing better protection for the EU's external borders. |
| Migrants' perilous Western Balkan route to Germany | Migrants' perilous Western Balkan route to Germany |
| Why is EU struggling with migrant crisis? | Why is EU struggling with migrant crisis? |
| Migrants have continued to travel to Europe via the Central Mediterranean route, and the bodies of at least 51 people were found on Wednesday in the hold of a stricken ship off the coast of Libya. | Migrants have continued to travel to Europe via the Central Mediterranean route, and the bodies of at least 51 people were found on Wednesday in the hold of a stricken ship off the coast of Libya. |
| But the number of migrants travelling through the Western Balkans has grown dramatically in recent weeks, with Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans heading for Western European countries, and Germany in particular. | But the number of migrants travelling through the Western Balkans has grown dramatically in recent weeks, with Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans heading for Western European countries, and Germany in particular. |
| Police in Hungary, which is building a fence to keep migrants out, fired tear gas on Wednesday to deter hundreds of trying to get into the country from its southern border with Serbia. | Police in Hungary, which is building a fence to keep migrants out, fired tear gas on Wednesday to deter hundreds of trying to get into the country from its southern border with Serbia. |
| 'Backlash' | 'Backlash' |
| "Unless we have a European answer to this crisis, no-one should be under any illusion that this will be solved," Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki told the Vienna summit. | |
| The EU has said it will release €1.5m (£1.1m; $1.7m) in funds to help Macedonia and Serbia deal with the humanitarian problem. But Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said the money would not solve the crisis. | |
| "When do you plan to establish controls and prevent migrants going to Serbia and Macedonia?" he asked. | |
| Earlier this month, Germany said it expected more than 800,000 people to seek asylum in the country this year - far more than any other EU nation. It said that refugees would be accommodated and treated fairly. | Earlier this month, Germany said it expected more than 800,000 people to seek asylum in the country this year - far more than any other EU nation. It said that refugees would be accommodated and treated fairly. |
| Although the EU tried to persuade member states to accept a quota system for taking in 40,000 asylum seekers from Syria and Eritrea over the next two years, they eventually agreed last month to accept 32,500 on a voluntary basis. | |
| The UK, which was not part of the deal, said on Thursday that net migration to the UK had reached 330,000 in the year to March, an increase of 28% on the previous year. Net migration represents the difference between the number entering the country and those leaving. | |
| German Foreign Minister Walter Steinmeier warned of a public backlash if only a handful of countries took in the majority of people: "I am certain that without a fair distribution we risk public acceptance in those states who absorb the bulk of the refugees." | German Foreign Minister Walter Steinmeier warned of a public backlash if only a handful of countries took in the majority of people: "I am certain that without a fair distribution we risk public acceptance in those states who absorb the bulk of the refugees." |
| His Austrian counterpart, Sebastian Kurz said that while poorer countries such as Greece were doing all they could to let refugees travel on to richer countries, it was imperative to deal with the large number of migrants heading to the EU through Western Balkan nations. | His Austrian counterpart, Sebastian Kurz said that while poorer countries such as Greece were doing all they could to let refugees travel on to richer countries, it was imperative to deal with the large number of migrants heading to the EU through Western Balkan nations. |
| But he singled out the failure of the EU's Dublin regulation, which requires non-EU asylum seekers to register in the first country they arrive in. | But he singled out the failure of the EU's Dublin regulation, which requires non-EU asylum seekers to register in the first country they arrive in. |
| "If we do not have functional border controls at the external borders of the European Union, the whole idea of the European Union without borders inside is in danger," Mr Kurz said. | "If we do not have functional border controls at the external borders of the European Union, the whole idea of the European Union without borders inside is in danger," Mr Kurz said. |
| In a separate development, President Barack Obama has thanked German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her leadership during the crisis. | In a separate development, President Barack Obama has thanked German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her leadership during the crisis. |
| The White House said that this was especially the case when it came to providing a safe haven to Syrian refugees. | The White House said that this was especially the case when it came to providing a safe haven to Syrian refugees. |
| There was a reminder of the risks being taken by people trying to reach Europe's shores on Wednesday with the discovery of the bodies on the boat in the Mediterranean. Italian media reports said that the deaths were probably caused by asphyxiation. | There was a reminder of the risks being taken by people trying to reach Europe's shores on Wednesday with the discovery of the bodies on the boat in the Mediterranean. Italian media reports said that the deaths were probably caused by asphyxiation. |
| It is estimated that more than 2,300 people have drowned while attempting the perilous crossing from north Africa since the beginning of this year. | It is estimated that more than 2,300 people have drowned while attempting the perilous crossing from north Africa since the beginning of this year. |
| Smugglers based in Libya are believed to be taking advantage of calmer seas to send more boatloads of migrants towards European shores. | Smugglers based in Libya are believed to be taking advantage of calmer seas to send more boatloads of migrants towards European shores. |
| European officials have described the plight of migrants as "beyond urgent". | European officials have described the plight of migrants as "beyond urgent". |
| Since the beginning of 2015, some 340,000 migrants have been detected at Europe's external borders, according to EU border agency Frontex. | Since the beginning of 2015, some 340,000 migrants have been detected at Europe's external borders, according to EU border agency Frontex. |
| That compares with 123,500 in the same period last year. | That compares with 123,500 in the same period last year. |