Associated Press
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Britain's Prime Minister, Hon David Cameron, has indicated that his country will re-settle up to 20,000 Syrian refugees from camps in both Turkey, Jordan and Syria. This will take place over the next five years.
The figure represents a vast expansion of Britain's refugee program, a change signaled by Cameron last week.
He told Parliament Monday that Britain has a moral responsibility to act, citing shocking images in recent days. Cameron said vulnerable children and orphans will be given priority.
New arrivals will be given five-year "humanitarian protection" visas upon arrival in Britain.
Also in other related news:
Greece's migration minister says at least two-thirds of the estimated 15,000-18,000 refugees and economic migrants stranded in "miserable" conditions on the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos will be ferried to the mainland in the next five days.
Giannis Mouzalas told state ERT1 TV extra ferries were laid on Monday to transport the migrants, while some ships will serve as temporary screening and reception centers.
Lesbos bears the brunt of the refugee influx, with more than 1,000 arriving daily on frail boats from nearby Turkey. Most remain stuck there for days, sleeping outdoors until they can be identified, and then find berths on crowded ferries to the mainland.
Greece's caretaker government, appointed ahead of elections Sept. 20, has set the problem as its main priority, significantly improving its predecessors' stumbling efforts to deal with the influx.
