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UNHCR head: It's time for Europe to get its act together

Outgoing UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres says it's urgent to find a political solution to the war in Syria.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres attends the 2015 Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mediterranean Conference at the Dead Sea beach, west of Amman, Jordan, October 20, 2015. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed - RTS5928

WASHINGTON — Outgoing UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres made an impassioned plea Oct. 27 for a political resolution to the Syrian civil war that includes key stakeholders Russia and Iran, and he expressed fears about the imminent disappearance of most Christians from the Middle East.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Guterres — a former Portuguese prime minister — also harshly criticized the European Union for its failure to respond effectively to the exodus of asylum seekers, primarily from Syria.

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