Austria's chancellor said there are "too many tensions" in European Union and they can only be successful if they work and act together.
ADVERTISEMENTAhead of a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said there were "far too many tensions in the European Union...."
The two leaders spoke at the Elysee palace just two days before EU talks in Salzburg aimed at closing a major rift on immigration policy.
Ahead of their meeting the two leaders both agreed that the issues of migration would top their list of priorities.
"On this subject I think we can ultimately advance by respecting our values," said French President Emmanuel Macron, "those which founded our European Union, and at the same time having a better control of arrivals, protection of our borders by the reinforcement of Frontex and a dialogue in particular with the countries of transit and origin, but equally, by having an improvement in our policies of returning those who are intercepted."
Previous weeks have seen the gulf between anti-immigration governments in eastern Europe and western members widen.
Kurz, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, said that Austria aimed to "support all those that want to be bridge-builders.
"The frontline countries of the European Union need our support, they need our solidarity. But on the other hand they also have to accept the support and the help of the European Union." said Kurz.
He also announced the organization of an EU-Africa summit in December while French President Emmanuel Macron called for the reinforcement of the expulsion of illegal immigrants.