Europe ‘can’t take so many refugees’

In this November 7, 2015 file photo, hundreds of tents stand between bushes in France's biggest refugee camp near Calais. Picture: Markus Schreiber

In this November 7, 2015 file photo, hundreds of tents stand between bushes in France's biggest refugee camp near Calais. Picture: Markus Schreiber

Published Nov 25, 2015

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Munich/ Paris - French Premier Manuel Valls has called for Europe to restrict its intake of refugees from the Middle East.

“Europe needs to say it can’t take so many refugees. It’s not possible,” he told a dozen European newspapers including Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which published the remarks Wednesday.

The control of Europe’s borders would decide the fate of the European Union, he said.

“If we don’t do that, then the people will say: Enough of Europe!”

Instead of allowing thousands of migrants to arrive in an uncontrolled manner, Europe needs to find solutions with Syria’s neighbours Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan to take and register migrants, he said.

“Otherwise Europe will call into question its ability to control its borders effectively.”

Before the Paris terror attacks Valls had pushed for a Europe-wide strategy for dealing with migration and refugees.

At least 130 people were killed in the attacks in Paris on November 13.

Two of the suspects apparently entered Europe through Greece on October 3 on Syrian passports, AFP reported, citing French officials.

It was not clear whether either man was travelling on his real papers.

DPA

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