Britain must take responsibility for its fair share of migrants and refugees deluging Europe from the Mediterranean, a United Nations representative has said.
UN Special
Representative for International Migration Peter Sutherland said
“nearly all” of those attempting to arrive by boat from
Syria or Eritrea should be treated as refugees rather than
immigrants, adding the UK should take more migrants as part of a
“fair” solution to the problem.
Sutherland told BBC Radio 4 that both Sweden and Germany are
already taking more migrants per capita than Britain. He argued
the reason UK residents were so opposed to taking more refugees
was because their case had never been fully explained.
“In the case of Eritrea or for that matter in the case of
Syria, nearly all of those who have left are people who are
persecuted or facing persecution and therefore entitled to remain
in the country of destination that they end up in Europe,”
he said.
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“And at the moment there is a huge disparity in the numbers
that different countries are taking. On any basis, the Germans
and the Swedes are taking far more per capita than the United
Kingdom.”
Sutherland said there was “a greater degree of negativity
towards the migration issue” in Britain because “the
case has never been properly explained.”
The special envoy’s remarks come days after Italian Prime
Minister Matteo Renzi said the country would “hurt”
Europe if it failed to help tackle the migrant crisis currently
washing up on Italian shores.
Many hundreds of migrants attempting to seek refuge in Europe end
up in Italy, and due to a recent crackdown on security at the
French and Austrian borders, many refugees have become stranded
at Italian train stations.
Renzi said the influx of migrants “should not be
underestimated,” adding “Europe’s answers so far have
not been good enough.”
The European Union is attempting to solve the crisis, but has yet
to achieve a consensus for the plan to redistribute 24,000
migrants within other countries.
The Italian government is hoping the final outcome will re-home
even more.
“Redistributing just 24,000 people is almost a
provocation,” Renzi said.
“If Europe chooses solidarity, good! If it doesn’t, we have
Plan B ready. But it would first and foremost hurt Europe,” he
added.
Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano told Sky TG24: “I
cannot reveal our Plan B. But if Europe is not supportive, it
will find itself dealing with a different Italy. We will not
accept a selfish Europe.”