'One in, one out'

Angela Merkel has called for the EU to sign Turkey-style "one in, one out" deals with North African states in a bid to avert a growing summer immigration crisis.

The German Chancellor signalled that the deal with Turkey, which saw billions of euros pledged to the country, could form a blueprint for others.

Her call came following a meeting with leaders of France and Italy and after a UN warning that the immigration crisis in which thousands have drowned in the Mediterranean, is once again about to explode.

The UN special representative for international migration reported that 95,000 people had already made the perilous journey across the sea from Africa to Italy this year, with numbers set to soar in September and October.

Merkel told regional daily Neue Passauer Zeitung: "We must agree on similar deals with other countries, such as in North Africa, in order to get better control over the Mediterranean sea refugee routes.

"Such agreements are also in the interest of the refugees themselves." Citing the existing deal she went on: "It is safer for them and there are good reasons for them to remain in Turkey, close to their homeland, where the cultural and language barriers are lower."

The German Chancellor said the Turkey deal is still "correct" and that the EU "should work to ensure that it lasts".

She also urged EU partners to step up to their responsibilities in taking refugees who had arrived in Greece.

'TOO MANY IMMIGRANTS'

According to a new survey published Monday, people throughout the world are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with immigration levels which are higher than any time since the Second World War.

At least six out of 10 people in France and Belgium, which have recently suffered deadly jihadist attacks, believe immigration has had a "negative impact", said the Ipsos polling institute.

Similar figures were found in Russia, Hungary and also Italy, which has had to deal with large numbers of migrants fleeing the Middle East or Africa and seeking to forge new lives in Europe.

In all, 49 percent of those surveyed in 22 countries said there were "too many immigrants" and 46 percent felt "immigration is causing their country to change in ways they don't like," Ipsos said in a statement.

The Japanese were least likely to say there are too many immigrants in their country (only 12 percent), and the Brazilians least likely to voice discomfort at how immigration is changing their country (23 percent), according to the study.