EU Must Cap Refugees, German Minister Says

Europe should set a "generous" limit on the number of refugees it takes each year, Germany's Interior Minister has said, in a sign of deepening divisions within the country over how to respond to the migrant crisis.

"When the quota is filled, there are no further entries in the year," Thomas de Maiziere told the Austrian newspaper Der Standard.

His views are in contrast to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has consistently resisted the idea of imposing strict caps on the number of refugees.

Mrs Merkel has previously said there was no upper limit to the right to seek asylum in Germany, although local media reports suggested her position is softening in the face of mounting internal criticism.

The interview came as net migration to the UK reached a record high of 336,000 in the year to June.

Mr de Maiziere said the European Union's refugee programme should focus on those most in need, singling out those from Syria and Iraq.

He also advocated for stronger controls along the EU's external borders in order to prevent a "run" of migrants trying to get in before the quota is filled.

Germany has come under increasing pressure from other EU countries in recent months over its acceptance of vast numbers of asylum seekers.

It expects to resettle around 800,000 people this year - far more than previous years.

In the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, the French Prime Minister has called for tighter controls on refugee policy.

"We can't accept more refugees in Europe (beyond what has been agreed)," Manuel Valls said.

"The solutions are over there (in the Middle East)."

Mrs Merkel says terrorism and refugees are separate issues.

Meanwhile, the Dutch government has won legal backing for its toughened policy of refusing to provide food and shelter to rejected asylum seekers who refuse to be repatriated.

A high court in the Netherlands has ruled the policy does not contravene the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Netherlands is the eighth-largest destination for asylum seekers in the EU, and has recorded a significant increase in applications in the past year.