UN: Most of those reaching EU have right to seek asylum

NEW YORK

A large majority of refugees arriving in Europe have a legal right to seek asylum from persecution and death in their home countries, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday.

Ban spoke by telephone with the leaders of Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia to discuss the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.

"The Secretary-General appealed to these leaders to be the voice of those in need of protection and to quickly find a joint approach to address their basic needs", read the statement.

Europe is facing its biggest refugee crisis in decades, with thousands of asylum seekers from Middle Eastern and African countries trying to reach Western Europe.

The European Commission is set to announce Wednesday plans to resettle refugees across all EU member states.

"Recognizing the challenges this poses to some member states, the Secretary-General stressed the individual and collective responsibility of European states to respond responsibly and humanely", the UN statement said.

"[Ban] stressed that the large majority of people arriving in Europe are refugees fleeing war and violence, who have a right to seek asylum without any form of discrimination", it added.

The recent influx, which peaked during the weekend, has prompted diverse responses from some European nations, including the suggestion that most of those flooding into Europe were migrants who chose to move not because of a direct threat of persecution or death, but mainly to improve their lives.

More than 380,000 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean Sea this year in a desperate bid to reach Europe, according to the UN refugee agency.

At least 2,850 have died or gone missing during the journey.