Brussels, 27/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 27 November, the European Union undertook to take in around 10 000 Iraqi refugees present in the countries neighbouring on Iraq. “We agreed to host Iraqi refugees on a voluntary basis and depending on the hosting capacity and the efforts already made by member states”, French Minister for Immigration Brice Hortefeux said during a press conference. The EU aims to take in “up to around 10 000 refugees”, he added. German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble announced that Germany was willing to take in 2 050 Iraqi refugees. Mr Hortefeux did not rule out taking in another 500, in addition to the 500 already resettled. In 2008, six member states took in around 2 470 Iraqi refugees: United Kingdom (600), Sweden (750), Denmark (75), France (500), Netherlands (165) and Finland (380). As a result, there is enough room for some 6 500 Iraqi refugees in the European Union. (B.C./transl.jl)