Rodrigues was speaking after a meeting of ministers from all the EU's member states failed to agree on the subject.


"Unfortunately it was not possible for the European Union to reach an accord," she said at an even in Cascais, near Lisbon. "The European spirit was not able to prevail, but I'm confident that we shall turn that difficulty around and that, at the next meeting, already scheduled for next week, European values will finally prevail."


The agenda for the next meeting has not yet been made known but, according to Rodrigues, "what will be on the table is evidently the resettlement of refugees." She stressed the need quickly to find stable solutions in the face of what she called a "humanitarian tragedy".


Portugal had, the minster said, expressed its willingness to form part of the solution and is at present ready to take in some 3,000 refugees already in the EU, in line with European Commission proposals.

Last week, Rodrigues said the first of these refugees could arrive in Portugal next month.


Some EU member states have refused to take any refugees, or laid down conditions such as that they be Christians.