Dutch cabinet agrees on refugees approach

The Dutch government has reached an agreement on the Netherlands' efforts to address the current refugee issue, State Secretary Klaas Dijkhoff of the Ministry of Security and Justice said in The Hague on Tuesday.

In the short term, the government will agree to a distribution of refugees across European countries and the Netherlands accepts that thousands of additional migrants, possibly 7,000 to 9,000, will arrive in the country on the condition that all European countries participate.

The announcement is the Dutch reaction to the expected proposal by the European Commission for national quotas to relocate asylum seekers arriving in Greece, Hungary and Italy.

To increase the refugee capacity in countries like Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan the government will add another 110 million euros (123 U.S. dollars) on top of previous contributions.

For the long term the Netherlands only wants to receive refugees who reported in a designated safe area in the region of war zones. These refugees have to make an application for asylum in a safe area outside the European Union (EU).

The government will advocate the approach at the EU emergency meeting next Monday in Brussels, where ministers will discuss a joint approach to the large influx of asylum seekers.

"A European agreement on the sustainable reception of refugees in safe countries in the region is a prerequisite for the division of responsibility," Dijkhoff said, adding there is confidence that Europe would support the government proposal.

Only offering asylum application in the vicinity of the conflict area should prevent refugees falling in the hands of smugglers who put migrants on a dangerous boat trip to Europe.

"The situation of refugees is more worrisome than ever," Dijkhoff added.

"There must come an end to the drowning, suffocation and smuggling. European countries are under a growing immigration pressure which will not decrease rapidly. To be able to offer people who fleeing from war protection in the future, European countries must act together," said Dijkhoff.

The Netherlands wants to make agreements with countries that are considered safe, such as Turkey and Jordan, so that application centers can be arranged. The refugees entitled to asylum can then be safely distributed across the EU member states.

According to the plan, approved applicants are getting a residence permit for a specific European country in which they must settle. They cannot travel to another European country. Refugees travelling on their own from a safe country in the region will be sent back to this safe country. Endit