Belarus Tells EU About Measures To Curb Refugee Flow

Belarus Foreign Affairs Minister Vladimir Makei told the European Union (EU) that his country would try to reduce the migrant flows from Asia, Africa and the Middle East to the EU.

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He made the remarks in a telephone conversation with Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Both sides confirmed their intention to end the migration crisis in an early date.

The EU is considering imposing new sanctions on carriers connecting Minsk with destinations in the Middle East, as migrants came to the EU's eastern border through Minsk. Poland has put troops on high alert because a large group of refugees are stranded near its border.

Belarus is prepared to respond to Western pressure and sanctions with the most severe measures, Makei told Russian journalists on Friday. The EU has been blaming Belarus for the current refugee crisis and issued packages of sanction against the country, while according to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, the sanctions have dented his country's capability to tackle the crisis.

Between 7,000 and 8,000 Kurds, who are trying to enter European territory as undocumented migrants, are stranded on the Polish-Belarusian border unable to advance to their destination, according to Lawk Ghafuri, a spokesperson for the Iraqi Kurdistan government.

This press official explained that the Kurdish Executive and the Government of Baghdad are providing flights for Iraqi citizens to their homeland. Although the first of these rapatriation flights will depart on Nov. 18, the authorities still have no information on how many undocumented migrants have requested voluntary repatriation to their country.

"The situation of Kurds and other migrants on the Belarusian-Polish border is bad. They are suffering for various reasons, including lack of security and unsatisfying basic human needs," Ghafuri said.