Ten EU and Balkan leaders to hold emergency migration talks on Sunday

Ten leaders from the European Union and Balkan countries will meet in Brussels on Sunday to hold talks on the "unfolding emergency" involving migrants in the western Balkans. Diplomatic tensions have flared amid migrant bottlenecks at the Slovenian, Croatian and Serbian borders that have left hundreds of people out in the mud, rain and cold.

The national leaders of Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia will be attending the talks called by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU's executive said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

"In view of the unfolding emergency in the countries along the western Balkans migratory route, there is a need for much greater co-operation, more extensive consultation and immediate operational action," the statement said. "The objective of the meeting will be to agree common operational conclusions which could be immediately implemented," it added. The talks will take place in the Belgian capital from 4 pm (1400 GMT) on Sunday. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres has also been invited.    (dpa)

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