HELSINKI, July 18 -- Home Affairs Ministers of the European Union (EU) countries failed to reach agreement on how to share the burden of the Mediterranean immigrant crisis in a meeting here on Thursday.
There were optimistic reports during the day about progress in creating a majority opinion on improving the Mediterranean arrivals' situation.
Finnish Minister for the Interior Maria Ohisalo said before the meeting that "no one should be allowed to drown in the Mediterranean any longer". The intention is to move to a more organized system when a refugee ship arrives.
Ohisalo said Finland "continues to work for a wider joint responsibility in resettling asylum seekers. She said the talks so far show that the member countries have a clear intention to develop the joint European asylum system despite the challenges.
Dimitris Avramopoulos, EU Commissioner for Migration, Home affairs and Citizenship, noted in the press conference that a decision does not exist yet. He was not willing to explain any details of the existing drafts.
German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told media in the afternoon about a French-German plan that was being discussed in Helsinki with Italy, Malta and with Finland as the EU Council presidency country.
Seehofer underlined that the plan was just about rescue and the asylum seekers would be scrutinized both for security and for asylum basis grounds. If inadmissible, they would be sent back.
Talking to media later, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini demanded more emphasis on the extradition of asylum seekers.
Conference sources said that both Italy and Malta were ill disposed to the idea that reception centers would be established on Italian and Maltese territory even though the immigrants would later be transported to other EU countries.
Salvini said the plan would place too heavy responsibility on Italy and Malta. Finnish national radio Yle quoted him as saying that Italy insists that asylum seekers should also be transferred to such EU countries that so far have refused to accept asylum seekers.
While consultations about an asylum seeker policy would continue next week, Finland as the presidency country will be calling a meeting in Malta in September. Yle reported that Salvini "hopes agreement would be reached in the talks in Malta."
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit12 Art and literature课时达标检测 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit9 Technology随堂检测 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit10 The world around us课时达标检测 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit2《English around the World》完形填空全方位训练8 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit2《English around the World》完形填空全方位训练7 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit2《English around the World》阅读表达全方位训练 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit4《Earthquakes》单项填空全方位训练1 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit4《Earthquakes》短文改错全方位训练1 新人教版必修1
2014届高考英语一轮复习 Unit5《Nelson Mandela a modern hero》短文改错全方位训练1 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit18 New Zealand随堂检测 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit21 Body language随堂检测 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit2《English around the World》短文改错全方位训练2 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit11 The sounds of the world课时达标检测 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit2《English around the World》短文改错全方位训练1 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit2《English around the World》阅读理解全方位训练2 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit5《Nelson Mandela a modern hero》阅读表达全方位训练1 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit5《Nelson Mandela a modern hero》单项填空全方位训练3 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit9 Technology课时达标检测 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit2《English around the World》阅读理解全方位训练4 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit16 Scientists at work课时达标检测 新人教版必修1
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2014届高考英语一轮复习 Unit5《Nelson Mandela a modern hero》短文改错全方位训练2 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit12 Art and literature随堂检测 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit4《Earthquakes》词汇全方位训练1 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit4《Earthquakes》短文改错全方位训练2 新人教版必修1
2014届高考英语一轮复习 Unit5《Nelson Mandela a modern hero》完成句子全方位训练 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit16 Scientists at work随堂检测 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit2《English around the World》完形填空全方位训练6 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit2《English around the World》阅读理解全方位训练3 新人教版必修1
2016届高考英语一轮复习 Unit4《Earthquakes》单项填空全方位训练2 新人教版必修1