EU urged to take in more Iraqi refugees

German human rights groups and politicians have urged the EU to take in more Iraqi refugees ahead of a meeting of EU interior ministers on Thursday, says Deutsche Welle.

The ministers are meeting to finalise an immigration and asylum pact, a French initiative which seeks to control flows of migrants while protecting their human rights.

According to Deutsche Welle, an estimated two million Iraqis have fled their homes since the US-led invasion in 2003. Sweden has taken in the most Iraqi refugees in Europe, with 18,600 arriving last year alone, compared to Germany, which has granted asylum to just 5,760 people.

The Irish Times says that UN high commissioner for refugees William Spindler told a news briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, "UNHCR hopes that the majority of Iraqi refugees will be able to return home in safety once the necessary conditions of stability and security are established.

"However, these conditions are not yet present.

"We hope that the ministers of justice and home affairs will commit the European Union to participation in organised resettlement efforts."

Meanwhile, El País reports that immigration was responsible for the EU's population growth in 2007, with a 0.48 per cent rise - four fifths of the rise, says the paper (almost 2.39 million people) was due to the flow of migrants.

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