The UN’s deal on migration crisis once again brings differences among the European countries

Vienna: An agreement regarding migrants was passed in a special meeting of the United Nations held at Morocco in Africa. Only 164 countries attended the meeting out of the total 193. The absence of the United States and some European countries was the important feature of the meeting, and this also highlighted the differences among the European countries over this issue. The absence of Austria, the current rotating President of the European Union, was a cause of displeasure for some major European countries. This brings forth the fact that severe differences exist among the European countries regarding the migrants’ problem.

The United Nations had proposed the concept of an international pact as a solution to the dispute over the immigrants issue. All the 193 nations had approved the concept when it was presented. But some major countries including the United States opposed the proposal when the actual draft was presented. These included Israel, Austria, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

There is strong resistance in Europe over the issue of migrants. Countries like Poland have adopted a strong stand on the issue and refused entry to immigrants in their country. These countries have not changed their stand although the EU has initiated action against these countries. Given this, efforts to get cooperation from the African countries are also being made, and a special meeting is being held in that respect, in the next week.

The Presidency of the EU is currently with Austria, and therefore the meeting would be held in its capital of Vienna, and Rwandan President Paul Kagame will be attending the meeting. But the Austrian absence from the United Nations meeting has offended major European countries like Germany and France. Both of these countries have boycotted the meeting in Vienna, and other countries also are expected to follow suit.

The opposition from Germany and France in the matter exposes the fact that the rift between the European countries is widening. These were the two countries who had welcomed the migrants when the migrant issue was intensifying. But they had to deviate from their policy after the effects of this influx became apparent.