Refugees should be hosted only during conflict: Sarkozy

Paris: States should host refugees until the conflict in their countries ends, said former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who is against the European mandatory refugee quotas, on Thursday.

During an interview with La Figaro magazine, Sarkozy called for suspending free movement within the Schengen Area for non-Europeans through re-introducing border controls.

The head of the conservative opposition also pointed out that the quota plan would only be acceptable if a common immigration policy is adopted, in order to avoid receiving immigrants, who do not correspond to the criteria set to enter France.

Sarkozy said the European Union should create centres outside the Schengen Area to manage the demands of political refugee status and to protect those people who risk their lives to cross the Mediterranean.