Malta: Five EU states agree to temporary migrant redistribution plan

W/S European Union Interior Ministers at podium, Birgu
SOT, Dimitris Avrampoulos, EU Commissioner for Migration: "Today we have made good progress toward a predictable and structural set of temporary arrangements. The (EU) Commission, our agencies and myself personally will continue to provide active support, operationally, financially and politically. I now call on all member states to join us in our work."
W/S Ministers at podium
SOT, Luciana Lamorgese, Italian Interior Minister (Italian): "I believe it is very important what happened today, as it was a first action, an agreement, a first step toward an approach of genuine European common action. I found a really positive atmosphere, because migration policy can only be implemented together with the other states."
W/S Ministers at podium
SOT, Horst Seehofer, German Interior Minister (German): "The number of the refugees to be taken in will be discussed and decided on 8 October in Luxembourg, because the number depends on the number of member states who will join the agreement. That describes the quality of our agreement from today and it is a suggestion of these four member states."
SOT, Michael Farrugia, Maltese Interior Minister:"We have started to make history. Now it will depend on whether we get the support of all the other countries, or most of the other countries, by accepting this paper, by accepting and participating in disembarkation, by participating in reallocation process, and that no country should be left alone under stress. Thank you very much." *MULTIPLE SHOTS AT SOURCE*
W/S Ministers leaving podium
SCRIPT
Five European Union Interior Ministers meeting in the Maltese town of Birgu agreed to a temporary redistribution plan for migrants rescued in the central Mediterranean Sea on Monday.
Footage shows the Interior Ministers of Malta, Italy, Germany, France and Finland - currently holding the rotating EU presidency - meeting in Birgu, where they reportedly agreed on a plan until at least October 8.
Interior ministers of all EU countries will meet on October 8 to consider expanding the arrangement.
"It is very important what happened today, as it was a first action, an agreement, a first step toward an approach of genuine European common action," said Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese.
"The number of the refugees to be taken in will be discussed and decided on 8 October in Luxembourg, because the number depends on the number of member states who will join the agreement," said German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer.
"We have started to make history. Now it will depend on whether we get the support of all the other countries, or most of the other countries, by accepting this paper, by accepting and participating in disembarkation," said Maltese Interior Minister Michael Farrugia.