Germany says still taking in refugees despite border controls

Refugees will continue to arrive in Germany despite the government's introduction of temporary border controls and the new measures do not affect the right to asylum for people who are being persecuted, a government spokesman said on Monday.

"Temporary border controls are not a closure of the borders - that's something completely different. Refugees will still come to Germany," Steffen Seibert said at a government news conference, adding that the government was hoping the entry process would be "more orderly" now.

"Our principles have not changed - we continue to be led by humanity and the right to protection that the politically persecuted and war refugees have here in Germany," he said.

Seibert said Chancellor Angela Merkel would hold a meeting on Tuesday with the premiers of Germany's 16 federal states, the head of Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and some government ministers to discuss asylum and refugee policy.

The states have in recent days complained about the growing burden of coping with the crisis and Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer has called for a doubling of the 4 billion euros in federal support the states and municipalities are due to receive this year and next to help them cope with the flood of refugees.

Seibert said Merkel would also meet Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann in Berlin on Tuesday to discuss how to proceed in the refugee crisis.

He said the German cabinet would discuss asylum and refugee policy at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

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refugees, Germany, Angela Merkel, BAMF, Werner Faymann

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