Embarrassment for Merkel: Western Powers Reject Assimilation of Refugees

Originally appeared at DWN, translated by John T. Sumner exclusively for SouthFront

Rebuff for Chancellor Angela Merkel at the G7: the US, Japan and Canada have rejected any further admission of refugees. Financial grants were also excluded. The war, being the most important cause of flight, was not even discussed.

The idea of Angela Merkel and the EU, to become more involved in the refugee crisis, was rejected by the US, Canada and Japan. Chancellor Angela Merkel had to acknowledge that concrete commitments were made at the G7 summit in Japan, to raise more funds for the refugee crisis and for the assimilation of additional migrants. “I do not expect concrete numbers,” Merkel said on Thursday in the Japanese Ise-Shima. However, something has to start internationally, she added, referring to the UN emergency summit earlier this week in Istanbul. However, this had brought no tangible results apart from fine words.

The G7 states would have agreed that “we must do everything possible to combat the causes of flight,” Merkel said. The refugee crisis is one of the issues to be on the agenda of the seven major industrial countries during their ongoing summit, lasting until Friday.

At the beginning of the Tunis meeting, European Council President Donald Tusk had directed the demand towards the G7 “that the international community has to show solidarity and to recognize that this is a global crisis”. Tusk, participating as EU representative, said, the G7 would have to increase their assistance to refugees and to host countries such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. Also international financial institutions would have to increase their funds. But none of the parties, called to aid seemed ready for concrete commitments, as Merkel had to concede on Friday.

The main causes of flight – namely in the Syria conflict and in the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya – were apparently not put in mandatory context with the movement of refugees.

The fact that the 7 supposedly most powerful states of the world should not be able to put an end to the activities of the IS and other mercenary militias in the Middle East, can really only be explained by the lack of will of the states. Currently, the Russians are in fact the only ones to support Syria in its fight against international mercenaries and Islamic militias.

All the more disconcerting is the fact that the G7 want to see Russia further excluded from their circle. Obviously, the Americans have brought the EU into line in this context: Merkel announced the sanctions against Russia to be preserved.

But the G7 are running the risk of being sent into isolation themselves, which they really would like to see the Russians in. The Russians have not even taken note of the summit.

Instead of acting as a bridge builder in view of international tensions, the G7 are eager to antagonize China as well: Despite protests from Beijing towards the G7, to stay out of territorial disputes in the East and South China Sea, the group starts to interfere in the conflict. “We have the common position to resolve the conflict peacefully,” Merkel said. Also there was agreement that international institutions “are legitimized here,” Merkel said at the arbitration court in The Hague, which is expected to decide on China’s claims in June. Beijing does not want to accept the verdict.

“The G7 should better deal with their own problems, instead of interfering in the affairs of other countries,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman in Beijing.

However, this might lead to problems as well, because in fact, the G7 don´t represent the smaller European states. But these states are the ones who disagree with Chancellor Merkel in the question of the refugee crisis. Therefore, the final declaration might be as well considered as an interference in the internal affairs by the states of Eastern Europe: The G7 are “encouraging the temporary reception of refugees and the establishment of resettlement schemes to relieve those countries who have received the largest number of refugees so far”, it says in the statement adopted on Friday. This also appeals at the criticism of relocation agreements within Europe itself, like the one of the EU with Turkey, or at domestic European distribution systems concerning refugees. In both cases, Merkel is acting without the consent of the states involved. But apparently, the summit felt obliged to ensure, that in the end Merkel does not have to stand there entirely empty-handed.