Austrian chancellor meets with EU's Mogherini to discuss migrant crisis

Austrian chancellor Werner Faymann held talks with European Commission vice-president and foreign policy high representative Federica Mogherini on the ongoing migrant crisis, in Vienna on Friday.

The two leaders had a one-hour-long meeting, in which both put a renewed emphasis on the need for a compulsory quota system for the distribution of asylum seekers amongst EU member states.

They also discussed Sunday's special EU summit with Western Balkan nations situated along the migrant routes into Europe. Topics covered were the better management and coordination of these routes, the securing of external borders through use of hotspots as registration points for migrants, a functional repatriation system, and financial aid for refugee care, Faymann's chancellery stated.

Closer cooperation with Turkey in tackling the crisis was also discussed, along with the situation in Syria.

Faymann said the present crisis could not be solved at the German or Austria borders, given that "once people have made their way 2,000 kilometres on foot, it is too late."

He stressed controls over who is eligible for asylum must take place on the EU's outer borders, and stated he is glad affected countries in the crisis will be meeting for talks on Sunday.

Source: XINHUA