BERLIN, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed on Wednesday that a European solution was needed to resolve the current refugee crisis despite calls for capping refugee influx from her own conservatives.
While attending a conference of her Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), Merkel once again rejected a rapid policy change which includes setting up an upper limit on the number of refugees entering Germany.
The chancellor said she wanted to reduce the refugee arrivals “appreciably and sustainably”, but reiterated that in order to achieve the goal, people should start with combating the causes of flight and find a European solution for the crisis.
“It’s of utmost importance to talk to each other in such challenging times” even there are different opinions, she said, referring to the existing differences with its sister party CSU over the refugee issue.
Merkel is facing renewed pressure from her own conservatives to reduce the influx of asylum seekers arriving in Germany, after a record inflow of over 1 million last year sapped their support. The CSU has demanded a cap of 200,000 migrants a year and pushed for a quick government solution to the refugee problem.
“If Austria introduces a ceiling, there would be more refugees coming to Germany,” said CSU leader Horst Seehofer.
CSU Secretary-General Andreas Scheuer believed that Germany should follow Austria to introduce a limit on the number of asylum seekers accepted.
Merkel, however, warned that the decision of Austria would add difficulties to negotiations with Turkey concerning the refugee crisis.
Germany and Turkey will hold their first intergovernmental consultations on Friday in Berlin. The refugee crisis is set to be top on the agenda.