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Iraq

Sweden demands EU help over Iraqi refugees

STOCKHOLM, Feb 12, 2007 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Two Swedish government ministers are calling on other European countries to show more solidarity when it comes to sharing the responsibility for Iraqi refugees, a local newspaper reported on Monday.

More than half of asylum seekers from Iraq making their way to Europe at the moment are coming to Sweden and up to 40,000 are expected to arrive here this year.

Writing in the Swedish newspaper, Svenska Dagbladet, Migration Minister Tobias Billstrom and EU Minister Cecilia Malmstrom said other countries need to take more responsibility for them.

Sweden plans to investigate the possibility of using the EU's refugee fund to cover the country's increased expenses, and the government will take up the issue with other member states, they added.

The fund was created to aid member states with costs associated with receiving refugees.