Germany says root causes must be tackled in migrants' home nations

Published on 14/05/2015 - 21:28

Hundreds more migrants attempting to reach Europe have been taken ashore in the Sicilian port city of Catania. The British Navy was involved in the

Hundreds more migrants attempting to reach Europe have been taken ashore in the Sicilian port city of Catania.

The British Navy was involved in the rescue of 615 migrants over the past week, as part of boosted EU search and rescue patrols.

But Germany is one of the countries that agree that more must be done.

“When it comes to migration we must go to the roots of the problem,” said the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

“Usually those are the economic and social conditions in the countries from where the refugees come. For this we need increased activity and commitment, also financial commitment from the EU in the future.”

Brussels is proposing a new system to distribute asylum seekers around Europe more fairly, with a further intake of 20,000.

But already Britain and Hungary have rejected the plan.

The HMS Bulwark docks at Catania port. On board, more than 600 migrants picked up yesterday from four different boats pic.twitter.com/5PoMfA4dSB
— Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) May 14, 2015

From shipwreck to safety – a photo essay from #Sicily’s #Catania http://t.co/OR4TvbwbG2 #migrants #mediterranean pic.twitter.com/q2r3eE7NMv
— IRIN News (@irinnews) May 11, 2015

#Immigrazione. RoyalNavy</a> Flagship HMS Bulwark has arrived in the Sicilian port of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Catania?src=hash">#Catania</a>. <a href="http://t.co/GJUzwnqnho">http://t.co/GJUzwnqnho</a> <a href="http://t.co/0pozokWJ3M">pic.twitter.com/0pozokWJ3M</a></p>— Italian Politics (ItalianPolitics) May 14, 2015

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