We Need An Exceptional Response On Refugee Crisis In Europe, Guterres

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres today (4 Sep) said "we are facing exceptional circumstances we need an exceptional response" adding that "business as usual or incremental improvements of mechanism's in place will not be able to address what it is today a massive refugee and migration crisis in Europe."

Guterres and Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, held a press encounter on the refugee crisis in Europe, following their bilateral meeting at the UNHCR Headquarters.

The High Commissioner said it was "absolutely essential to put in place in the countries that are today in the front line, especially in Greece, island and continents; in Hungry and also in Italy, a reception mechanism allowing people to be effectively welcome, to be properly assisted. And to see their registration taking place and an adequate screening being made in order to detect those who are in need of protection."

Jagland said "the world is witnessing one of the worst crisis that we ever had" and blamed the Security Council of inaction.

He said "the members of the Security Council have the responsibility for the peace on behalf of all the member states. So, 15 member states have been given this responsibility. But where is the responsibility?"

Guterres noted that "the largest program of resettlement humanitarian admission comes exactly from the same country that also receives the largest number which is Germany"

He called on other countries to follow suit and said "all countries need to be doing to same, based on the capacity each country has. But we need to have a true European solidarity mechanism to allow for this problem to be solved."

The High Commissioner urged the European Union (EU) to admit up to 200,000 asylum-seekers fleeing conflict zones like Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
More than 300,000 people have risked their lives to cross the Mediterranean Sea so far this year. Over 2,600 didn't survive the dangerous crossing, including three-year-old Aylan, whose photo has just stirred the hearts of the world public.
STORY: GENEVA / GUTERRES JAGLAND REFUGEES
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 04 SEPTEMBER 2015, GENEVA, SWITZERAND

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide shot, journalists
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, High Commissioner for Refugee:
"We are facing exceptional circumstances we need an exceptional response. Business as usual or incremental improvements of mechanism's in place will not be able to address what it is today a massive refugee and migration crisis in Europe."
3. Med shot, journalist
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, High Commissioner for Refugee:
"It is absolutely essential to put in place in the countries that are today in the front line, especially in Greece, island and continents; in Hungry and also in Italy, a reception mechanism allowing people to be effectively welcome, to be properly assisted. And to see their registration taking place and an adequate screening being made in order to detect those who are in need of protection."
5. Med shot, journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe:
"The world is witnessing one of the worst crisis that we ever had. And the Security Council is blocked. I think that all the members' of the Security Council should go back to mandate they have been given in the UN charter where it is written that the members of the Security Council have the responsibility for the peace on behalf of all the member states. So, 15 member states have been given this responsibility. But where is the responsibility?"
7. Med shot, journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, High Commissioner for Refugee:
"Resettlement, humanitarian admission, I mentioned visa policies, I mentioned scholarships, I mentioned family reunification programs. That is one of the things essential to be able to break the smuggling and trafficking networks. Unfortunately, and I would say the largest program of resettlement humanitarian admission comes exactly from the same country that also receives the largest number which is Germany. That has more than 30,000 opportunities of humanitarian admission. And I think that one of the key things is that it is clear today is that what Germany is doing cannot be done alone, that all countries need to be doing to same, based on the capacity each country has. But we need to have a true European solidarity mechanism to allow for this problem to be solved."
9. Wide shot, journalists

DURATION: 02:47