German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday that war refugees from Syria and Iraq usually only enjoy temporary protection in Germany and most of them must go home once the conflicts there come to an end.
Merkel made the remarks during a regional meeting of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU). She said it was important to stress that most of the refugees who arrived in Germany in the past year only received a temporary protection status.
The chancellor has come under fire for her welcoming policy toward refugees. Support for her conservative bloc has slipped as concerns mount about how Germany will integrate the 1.1 million asylum seekers who came to the country last year.
"We expect, once there is peace in Syria again, once the IS has been defeated in Iraq, that you go back to your home country with the knowledge that you have gained," Merkel told the meeting, adding that 70 percent of the refugees who fled to Germany from former Yugoslavia in the 1990s had returned to their homeland later.
Speaking of the EU's response to the refugee issue, Merkel admitted that she was disappointed with the current cooperation within the bloc, and urged other European countries to offer more help "because the numbers need to be reduced even further and must not start to rise again, especially in spring".
All EU states, she added, would suffer if the internal passport-free Schengen zone collapsed and national borders were closed.
Source: XINHUA
GMT 18:29 2018 Tuesday ,23 October
More displaced families return to their homes via Abu al-Dohor corridorGMT 16:26 2018 Saturday ,20 October
"Peskov" Putin to participate in quartet summit on Syria in IstanbulGMT 17:52 2018 Wednesday ,10 October
Ending crisis in Syria best solution to displaced problem "Petricek"GMT 16:30 2018 Saturday ,08 September
Gaps in Yemen human rights report to be discussed at Abu Dhabi meetGMT 16:19 2018 Friday ,07 September
Hundreds of displaced families return home in al-Mayadeen cityGMT 21:30 2018 Thursday ,06 September
UN Envoy says still hopeful for Houthi delegation to join Geneva talksGMT 04:15 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Kurds invited to join Syria peaceGMT 09:19 2018 Monday ,22 January
West's 'Russiaphobia' worse thanMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor