ROME (AP) — Germany’s interior minister says he is confident of reaching an agreement with Italy for that country to take back migrants who show up at the German-Austrian border after previously applying for asylum in Italy.
Germany has already reached similar agreements with Greece and Spain as it implements a domestic deal to defuse an internal political dispute over migration.
In June, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer threatened to turn back previously registered migrants unilaterally at the German-Austrian border. Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted that Germany must first reach agreements with other countries.
Seehofer told ZDF television on Sunday he’s making good progress toward a deal with Italy. He said that, in return for Italy taking back previous asylum applicants, it would involve Germany taking in a similar number of migrants rescued at sea.
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