Finland supports EU approach to control immigration: PM

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä said on Sunday Finland endorses an "overall approach" by the EU to tackle unauthorized immigration.

He said the underlying reasons for wanting to move should be intercepted in the countries of origin, and a combination of several measures should be included, such as the system of quota refugees, surveillance of the outer borders of the EU and control of the flows of people between the countries within the EU.

Sipilä made the remarks when talking to Finnish media late Sunday after a meeting in Brussels.

Sipilä said earlier on Sunday that Finland is ready to support Germany in finding ways of preventing asylum seekers from moving between EU countries.

He said that bilateral arrangements could be a way to start. "That could then lead possibly to a European solution."

The PM said that in Sunday's meeting, leaders of EU countries had indicated support to "regional processing centers". In those centers, people rescued at sea would be assorted as those wanting to arrive in Europe for economic reasons and as those who are in need of international protection.

Sipilä told Finnish News Agency STT that he would rather describe the would-be facilities as "landing centers". He said EU countries are considering whether the centers would be inside or outside Europe.

He said the UN refugee organization UNHCR has expressed willingness in helping in the establishment of the centers.

"It is important so that the conditions in the facilities are ascertained," Sipilä said. Finland is to formulate its view in the ministerial committee for EU affairs on Tuesday.