EU needs migration policy, must stop blame game - EU leaders' chairman

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europeans have failed to protect their external borders in the face of a migration crisis and are shifting blame and responsibility onto each other, the chairman of European Union leaders said, calling for a credible European migration policy. European Union leaders are to meet for an extraordinary summit on migration next Wednesday in Brussels to decide how to deal with more than 500,000 migrants that have arrived in Europe only this year mainly from war-torn Syria and Iraq. Donald Tusk, who presides over summits of leaders of the EU's 28 countries, wrote in an invitation letter to the heads of state and government that the crisis was a test of Europe's humanity and responsibility and that migration would remain a challenge for many years to come. "We as Europeans are currently not able to manage our common external borders, hence some States decided to protect themselves by closing their national ones," Tusk said. "The protection of the European community is our first duty and obligation and we have failed on this front. For too long our discussions have centred around shifting the responsibility onto others," he wrote in the letter. He said it was essential to establish a credible European migration policy. Discussions on Wednesday should also touch on issues like how to help Itay, Greece and Hungary, which are the most exposed to the inflow of migrants and cooperation with the Western Balkan countries through which the migrants travel. The leaders must also talks about cooperation with Turkey which has already taken in more than 2 million refugees and other countries bordering Syria. The EU should also agree to provide more funds to the High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Programme and discuss the implementation of agreements on return and readmission of migrants. "There is however one issue which cannot wait. The World Food Program needs money to provide food to 11 million people in Syria and in the region. I would like to appeal to all of you not to wait until our meeting and provide donations to the World Food Programme," Tusk said in the letter. (Reporting By Jan Strupczewski)