Europe urged to do more on refugee issue

MUNICH (Xinhua) - World leaders at the 51st Munich Security Conference are calling on Europe to do more to tackle the refugee issue as a result of increasing conflicts in the world.

The conference from Friday to Sunday was attended by about 20 heads of state and government, 60 ministers of foreign affairs and defense, 30 CEOs of major global companies as well as parliamentary delegations.

In a panel discussion that extended into midnight on Friday, Antonio Guterres, high commissioner of Refugees of the United Nations, urged European countries to show more political will and share responsibility to address the refugee issue.

With increasing conflicts comes the rising number of refugees, Guterres said, adding that old conflicts have not died and fresh conflicts are sprouting, leaving more people displaced.

Guterres said around 14,000 people were displaced by conflicts every day in the world. In 2013, the number surged to 32,000.

Guterres considered the capacity of the world to prevent conflicts and solve them in a timely way as "considerably limited", arguing that "crisis can emerge anywhere and anytime with dramatic humanitarian consequences".

At a panel discussion featuring "Refugee Catastrophe", Guterres dismissed the idea that refugees are flooding to Europe, calling the idea "a fantasy."

While some of the refugees are coming to Europe, "the overwhelming majority" are in the developing world, accounting for 86 percent of the refugees, said Guterres, adding that it's essential for Europe to show a stronger will and approach.

Guterres suggested that European countries should not only take in more refugees but also do "much more" to support the countries hosting a large number of refugees.

He also contended that the European countries should have a more positive attitude in allowing refugees to legally come to Europe and making more flexible visa policies.

Paolo Gentiloni, minister of Foreign Affairs and Economic Cooperation of Italy, proposed that Italy should allow significantly more migrants and asylum seekers in 2014 compared with previous years.

Besides, he suggested that people should deal with the refugee issue in three ways: to fill the vacuum of some countries, crack down on human-trafficking organizations and carry out economic cooperation with conflict-ridden countries.

Gerd Mueller, minister of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, insisted that Europe is assuming responsibility and "more steps need to follow".

"We need a reconstruction and economic program," Mueller said.

Crises in countries bordering Europe have resulted in a spike of the number of refugees seeking asylum in European countries.

According to a German report, five European countries, including Germany, take in 75 percent of the refugees in the region. Germany and Sweden have been considered the most favorable destinations for refugees and asylum seekers.

UN data showed that over 50 million people were refugees at the end of 2013, the highest level since the UN started to compile the figures.

According to the Munich Security Report 2015 published by the Munich Security Conference, Syria's neighboring countries are shouldering enormous burdens of refugees from Syria, where 10.9 million people were displaced by the end of 2014.

Lebanon has accepted a number of Syrian refugees that totals a quarter of its own population, but many European countries have been "very reluctant", said the report.

Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam described the flood of refugees as unprecedented at a panel discussion. He also said a sudden increase in the total population has generated a chain of economic, social and most importantly security consequences.