EU Parliament president criticizes EU countries for failing to accept Afghan refugees
Media reports say the president of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, on September 1 criticized EU members' failure to take in significant numbers of Afghans fleeing the country.
"We have seen countries outside the EU come forward to welcome Afghan asylum seekers, but we have not seen a single member state do the same," Sassoli, an Italian center-leftist, told the Bled Strategic Forum of defense ministers in Slovenia.
Sassoli said a "strong and common European voice on the international stage is more necessary now than ever."
Sassoli was speaking as reports emerged of large numbers of Afghans streaming toward the country's borders after the closure of Kabul international airport when the last of the U.S.-led international troops left on August 30.
Many Afghans are wary of abuses on a massive scale reminiscent of the Taliban's regime ruling much of Afghanistan in 1996-2001.
Reuters reported on August 30 that European Union states are determined to prevent uncontrolled migration from Afghanistan following the takeover of the country by the Taliban, a draft statement prepared for a meeting on Tuesday says.
EU governments are reportedly eager to avoid a repeat of the chaotic influx of refugees and migrants in 2015.
"Based on lessons learned, the EU and its member states stand determined to act jointly to prevent the recurrence of uncontrolled large-scale illegal migration movements faced in the past, by preparing a coordinated and orderly response," interior ministers will say at the meeting, according to the draft statement seen by Reuters.
European Union countries on August 31 said after a meeting of interior ministers that they would step up aid to Afghanistan and its neighbors but could not agree on a common policy on accepting Afghan asylum seekers.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on August 31 urged all nations to help the people of Afghanistan, warning of a deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in that country.
He said nearly half the Afghan population needs humanitarian assistance to survive and that the war-ravaged country faces a total collapse of basic services for citizens.
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