Eastern EU intent on 'common stance' with partners on migrants: Prague

Four eastern EU states opposed to fixed migrant quotas across the bloc said Monday they were "absolutely dedicated" to reaching an agreement with western partners on solving Europe's worst migrant crisis since World War II, AFP reports.

"All of us who met here today are absolutely dedicated to reaching a common stance tomorrow," Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek said following talks with his Hungarian, Polish and Slovak counterparts in Prague, a day before key EU talks on the crisis.  

"We're aware that Europe needs joint collective action to accelerate the solution to the still very urgent situation."

Also attended by foreign ministers from Latvia and Luxembourg -- which currently holds the EU presidency -- Monday's talks were aimed at addressing the deep rift in the EU over how to tackle the crisis.

"I will do everything that I can do to propose something where the 28 countries -- I underline, the 28 countries -- can agree. That's my task, that's the direction of what I will do tomorrow," Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told reporters Monday.

EU interior ministers will meet Tuesday, in the hope of making significant progress before a bloc-wide emergency summit opens Wednesday.