The EU-28 member nations have
agreed to take in 35,000 refugees presently in Italy and Greece,
not 40,000 as requested under a draft accord, European
diplomatic sources said Monday.
The EU will reassess in six months whether it can reach the
original 40,000 target, the sources said.
The draft accord would have relocated 40,000 people rescued
off migrant boats in the Mediterranean and "in clear need of
international protection", giving EU members latitude to decide
how many refugees to take in.
The draft was aimed at overcoming conflicts among EU
members after some balked at being ordered to accept a set
number of refugees.
Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said last month
that "solidarity is not optional" when it comes to Italy's
appeals for help from the EU in handling the Mediterranean
migrant crisis.
The launch of the EUNAVFOR naval operation targeting
migrant traffickers is only a "part" of the European initiative
on migrants, the minister said.
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