This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/austrian-officials-says-europe-not-smugglers-must-decide-which-migrants-make-it/2016/04/04/ec18d318-fa91-11e5-886f-a037dba38301_story.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Austrian officials say Europe, not smugglers, must decide which migrants make it | Austrian officials say Europe, not smugglers, must decide which migrants make it |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| European nations must step up humanitarian aid to countries in the Middle East hosting displaced persons so more people can stay there safely, and Europe should open its doors primarily to the most vulnerable asylum seekers, Austria’s foreign minister said Monday. | European nations must step up humanitarian aid to countries in the Middle East hosting displaced persons so more people can stay there safely, and Europe should open its doors primarily to the most vulnerable asylum seekers, Austria’s foreign minister said Monday. |
| “Our goal is that we decide who can come to Europe, and we decide who we help, and that we don’t let the smugglers decide,” Sebastian Kurz said in an interview before he met with Secretary of State John F. Kerry. | “Our goal is that we decide who can come to Europe, and we decide who we help, and that we don’t let the smugglers decide,” Sebastian Kurz said in an interview before he met with Secretary of State John F. Kerry. |
| [Europe begins sending people back across the sea, defying human rights outcry] | [Europe begins sending people back across the sea, defying human rights outcry] |
| Kurz said many seeking safe haven in Europe are not asylum seekers from the Syrian war but economic migrants from other countries. Most want to resettle in three particular countries, he said. | Kurz said many seeking safe haven in Europe are not asylum seekers from the Syrian war but economic migrants from other countries. Most want to resettle in three particular countries, he said. |
| “I understand they are looking for a better life in Austria, Germany and Sweden,” Kurz said. “But it’s our job as politicians to create systems that can work. The concept of no borders is not going to work.” | “I understand they are looking for a better life in Austria, Germany and Sweden,” Kurz said. “But it’s our job as politicians to create systems that can work. The concept of no borders is not going to work.” |
| Austria warmly welcomed the first asylum seekers who arrived last year but took a stricter stance when it became clear, Kurz said, that “things were out of control.” Vienna imposed a cap this year and recently deployed troops to its Alpine border with Italy to block the migrant flow. | |
| Like many European diplomats, Kurz used comparative math to underscore the burden that Austria, with 8.5 million people, faced when it took in 90,000 refugees last year, more than double this year’s cap of 37,500. | Like many European diplomats, Kurz used comparative math to underscore the burden that Austria, with 8.5 million people, faced when it took in 90,000 refugees last year, more than double this year’s cap of 37,500. |
| “It would be like the United States getting 3.4 million new asylum seekers in one year alone,” he said. “Austria has done much more than most other countries in the world.” | “It would be like the United States getting 3.4 million new asylum seekers in one year alone,” he said. “Austria has done much more than most other countries in the world.” |
| [No end to despair as Greece starts to deport refugees] | [No end to despair as Greece starts to deport refugees] |
| President Obama ordered the State Department to admit 10,000 Syrian refugees this fiscal year. Kurz said even more should be admitted. | President Obama ordered the State Department to admit 10,000 Syrian refugees this fiscal year. Kurz said even more should be admitted. |
| Kurz credited new border controls and a deal to send newly arrived asylum seekers back to Turkey with stemming the tide this year. He said 20 displaced persons can be supported in Turkey for what it costs to support one refugee in Austria. | Kurz credited new border controls and a deal to send newly arrived asylum seekers back to Turkey with stemming the tide this year. He said 20 displaced persons can be supported in Turkey for what it costs to support one refugee in Austria. |
| Women, children, the elderly and the sick should be given priority for resettlement, Kurz said, not able-bodied young men. | Women, children, the elderly and the sick should be given priority for resettlement, Kurz said, not able-bodied young men. |
| “If we really want to help the people in Syria, we should invest more in humanitarian aid and we should work with resettlement programs to get those who really are in need to come to Europe,” he said. | “If we really want to help the people in Syria, we should invest more in humanitarian aid and we should work with resettlement programs to get those who really are in need to come to Europe,” he said. |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| 7 things to know about the incredibly complicated migrant crisis | 7 things to know about the incredibly complicated migrant crisis |
| The mass migration of refugees from Turkey to Greece has stalled | The mass migration of refugees from Turkey to Greece has stalled |
| Migrants find doors slamming shut across Europe | Migrants find doors slamming shut across Europe |