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Migrant crisis: Austria to let people in from Hungary Migrant crisis: Austria to let people in from Hungary
(about 1 hour later)
The Austrian chancellor has said his country and Germany have agreed to let migrants cross their borders from Hungary.The Austrian chancellor has said his country and Germany have agreed to let migrants cross their borders from Hungary.
Werner Faymann made the comments shortly after the authorities in Hungary sent buses to transport a group who had been walking to the border. Werner Faymann's announcement came after Hungary began bussing migrants to the Austrian border.
The BBC's Matthew Price saw the first bus leave towards the Austrian and Hungarian border late on Friday. They include hundreds who defied attempts to register them in Budapest and began walking to the border.
European Union states are struggling to agree on how to deal with the crisis. European Union states are struggling to agree on how to deal with an unprecedented surge in migrants.
Earlier, hundreds of migrants left Budapest station on foot after a stand-off with police, defying official efforts to take them to reception centres and register them. Budapest's surprise decision to lay on buses followed several days of chaotic scenes.
Another group of migrants escaped along railway tracks in Bicske, to the west of the Hungarian capital, from a train stopped by police. Those travelling on foot were among thousands camped outside Keleti station in Budapest, while another group fled along railway tracks in Bicske, to the west of the Hungarian capital, from a train stopped by police.
The surprise announcement by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, Janos Lazar, late on Friday night to despatch transport followed several days of chaotic scenes. The BBC's Matthew Price, who has been travelling with those walking along the main road to Vienna, said there was fear among the migrants that they would be arrested rather than sent to the border.
Explaining the move, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, Janos Lazar, said the government was despatching buses so the country's transport network would not become "paralysed".
Buses have also been arriving to collect migrants who have been camped outside Keleti station in central Budapest.Buses have also been arriving to collect migrants who have been camped outside Keleti station in central Budapest.
The buses are to take people to Hegyeshalom, on the border with Austria. They are to take people to Hegyeshalom, on the border with Austria.
Mr Lazar said the step was essential so the Hungarian transport network would not become "paralysed". Mr Faymann said he would allow the migrants continued passage because of the "emergency situation" on Hungary's borders.
An Austrian interior ministry statement (in German) said that the police and the Red Cross were standing by to receive the migrants. He said the decision came after talks with his German counterpart, Angela Merkel, adding he expected Hungary to respect any EU quotas for asylum seekers.
They would have the opportunity to apply for asylum in Austria, the statement said. Hungary, along with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, issued a joint statement on Friday opposing a quota system.
In his statement on Facebook, the Austrian Chancellor said he had agreed to allow in the migrants after talks with his German counterpart, Angela Merkel. The Red Cross has said it expects to receive 800 to 1,500 people to arrive at one of its migrant centres in the early hours of Saturday.
The BBC's Matthew Price, walking with the migrants, said that as night fell, many continued to walk, but others - including a family with five children - appeared to stop for the night on the hard shoulder, or in adjacent fields. An Austrian interior ministry statement (in German) said they would have the opportunity to apply for asylum in Austria, the statement said.
Our correspondent says there are fears among the group that the buses are a trick, and that they will be arrested rather than travel on to western Europe.
Hungary has become a major transit nation for people fleeing the Middle East and Africa, seeking to reach north and west Europe.Hungary has become a major transit nation for people fleeing the Middle East and Africa, seeking to reach north and west Europe.
In other developments:In other developments: