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Migrants crisis: Austria and Balkans call for EU answer Migrants crisis: Austria and Balkans call for EU answer
(about 2 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.
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 address the problem of people entering via the Western Balkans.
And Germany has called on all European states to share the burden. As the leaders were meeting, officials in Austria said several dozen migrants had been found dead in an abandoned lorry near the Hungarian border.
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. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said all those at the summit were "deeply shocked" by the gruesome find, arguing that it showed that Europe urgently needed to work together to solve the crisis.
The EU's economically stronger nations had to help Balkan countries along the migrants' route - a number of which aspire to EU membership - and share the burden of arrivals, she said.
"They're facing huge challenges and as they are future members of the European Union it is our duty to help them with these challenges," she said.
Migrants' perilous Western Balkan route to GermanyMigrants' 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. UK net migration hits record high
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 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. On Wednesday police counted more than 3,000 crossing into Serbia. The UN says a similar number are expected to enter Macedonia every day in the coming months.
'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."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. The EU has said it will release €1.5m (£1.1m; $1.7m) in funds to help Macedonia and Serbia. 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."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. Germany says it expects at least 800,000 people to seek asylum in the country this year - far more than any other EU nation.
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 EU had tried to persuade member states to accept a quota system for taking in 40,000 Syrians and Eritreans over the next two years.
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. But they eventually agreed last month to accept 32,500 on a voluntary basis.
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." Earlier German Foreign Minister Walter Steinmeier warned of a public backlash if only a handful of countries took in the majority of people.
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, highlighted the need 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. He stressed that the "whole idea of the European Union without borders inside is in danger" if the bloc's external borders were not secure.
"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. It is estimated that more than 2,300 people have drowned while attempting to cross the Mediterranean from north Africa since the beginning of this year.
In a separate development, President Barack Obama has thanked German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her leadership during the crisis. Smugglers based in Libya are believed to be taking advantage of calmer seas to send more boatloads towards Europe.
The White House said that this was especially the case when it came to providing a safe haven to Syrian refugees. Since the beginning of 2015, some 340,000 migrants have been detected at Europe's external borders , according to EU border agency Frontex.
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.
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".
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.