EU Countries Agree To Take In 40,000 Afghan Refugees

Commissioner Ylva Johansson says a group of 15 European Union member states have agreed to take in 40,000 Afghans for resettlement, after meeting interior ministers of those countries. <br />The document seen by the AFP news agency shows that Germany will accept the bulk of the new arrivals, with 25,000, with the Netherlands accepting 3,159, Spain and France 2,500 each, and other countries in lower numbers. <br />The United Nations high commissioner for refugees had previously urged the bloc to accept 42,500 Afghans over five years, but some of the 27 member countries had resisted.