BERLIN (AP) — The top security officials of Germany, France and Britain are pressing for better processing of migrants arriving in southern Europe and for a European Union-wide list of countries considered safe.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, France's Bernard Cazeneuve and Britain's Theresa May issued a statement Sunday after consulting in Paris the previous day. They stressed the need to set up "hot spots" in Greece and Italy by the year's end to ensure migrants are fingerprinted and registered, allowing authorities to identify quickly those in need of protection.

Germany, which has seen many asylum requests this year from Balkan countries, is keen to identify "safe" countries to ease returning rejected asylum applicants.

The officials urged holding a special meeting of EU interior and justice ministers in the next two weeks.