Fears of Afghan exodus boost pressure on EU ministers

Brussels, Aug 31 (AFP/APP):European Union ministers debated Tuesday how to prevent or contain a feared influx of Afghans fleeing the Taliban, with Germany leading a call for migrants to stay in the region.
At the meeting, the ministers approved a declaration that included strong support for countries in the region to take in refugees from Afghanistan, which has been in Taliban hands since mid-August.
The return to power of the hardline Islamist group has plunged the future of many Afghans into uncertainty and sparked concern that millions may seek refuge in neighbouring countries and Europe.
The goal of European refugee policy must be “that people stay close to home,” German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said, as he arrived for talks in Brussels.
In 2015, Germany took in more than a million migrants fleeing conflict, mainly in Syria, in a decision that angered some of its EU partners, who were caught off guard.
On Tuesday, Seehofer urged the European Commission — the EU executive — to present an action plan “very quickly”, making support for Afghanistan’s neighbours, such as Pakistan and Tajikistan, dependent on their willingness to accept and care for refugees.
This would be based on the EU-Turkey model in which Ankara inked a deal with Brussels after the 2015 migration crisis to stem the flow of migrants to Europe by hosting arrivals in return for some incentives including financial assistance.
“The Turkish-Syrian model has been a good model for refugees … France will ask to extend this model (to Afghanistan),” French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.
For now, however, he added “there is no massive flow of Afghans at the European borders as was experienced in 2015. But it may happen in the coming weeks or months depending on the situation.”
European commissioner for home affairs, Ylva Johansson however cautioned that a “cut-and-paste” of the EU Turkey deal was not appropriate.
“We need to support neighbouring countries but that has to be tailor made,” she said.