Advertisement

  1. National

Germany and partners consider 'transit zones' for refugees

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her coalition partners have agreed some areas on how to deal with the refugee crisis but need more talks on other points following a meeting, a government spokesman said.

An extra 100,000 migrants and refugees will be taken to welcome centres to ease the crisis, after a deal agreed by European and Balkan state leaders during an emergency summit.

According to the UNHCR, more than 643,000 refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe this year, with at least 3,135 known to have died en route.

View all 23 updates ›

Germany and partners consider 'transit zones' for refugees

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her coalition partners have agreed some areas on how to deal with the refugee crisis but need more talks on other points following a meeting, a government spokesman said.

Germany and partners consider 'transit zones' for refugees. Credit: PA

There is a lot of common ground and some points that remain open and still to be settled.

– German Government spokesman

The spokesman said these included the idea of introducing so-called 'transit zones' at border crossings to process refugees' asylum requests.

Merkel, the leader of her conservatives' Bavarian sister party, and Social Democrat (SPD) chief Sigmar Gabriel are set to meet again on Thursday, as spokesman said.

More on this story