France, Germany to make proposals on refugee crisis: Hollande's office

PARIS (Reuters) - France and Germany will make joint proposals on how to host refugees and distribute them fairly across Europe, President Francois Hollande's office said in a statement on Thursday. "The European Union must act in a decisive manner and in line with its values," the statement said after Hollande spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel by telephone. "These men and women, with their families, are fleeing war and persecution. They need international protection." The statement added that the two countries wanted to converge standards to strengthen the European asylum system, ensure the return of illegal migrants back to their country of origin and to provide necessary support to nations where migrants come from and transit through. (Reporting By Elizabeth Pineau and John Iris; editing by Leigh Thomas)