Paris - Europe is stretched to it limits and cannot take in any more migrants, according to the French Prime Minister.
And in a veiled shot at German leader Angela Merkel, who said refugees were welcome in Europe, Manuel Valls said that it wasn't France that 'told them to come'.
Europe is grappling with its worst refugee crisis since the Second World War with almost one million refugees expected to arrive by the end of the year.
But in an interview with German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Mr Valls said: 'We cannot accomodate any more refugees in Europe, that's not possible', adding that tighter external border controls would determine the fate of the EU.
'If we don't do that, the people will say "enough is enough", Valls warned.
The comments were published only hours before German Chancellor Angela Merkel was scheduled to meet French President Francois Hollande in Paris.
Merkel was initially celebrated at home and abroad for her welcoming approach to the refugees, many of whom are fleeing conflict in the Middle East.
But as the flow has continued the chancellor has come under increasing criticism.
Some conservatives say Merkel's decision to open up Germany's borders to Syrian refugees in September has spurred more migrants to come.
The refugee debate has become more politically charged after the deadly attacks in Paris that stoked fears ISIS militants could exploit the migrant crisis to send extremists to Europe.
Mr Valls avoided criticising Merkel directly for having suspended European asylum rules to allow in Syrian refugees stranded in Hungary but said France was taken by surprise by the German leader's decision.
He added: 'Germany has made an honourable choice there.
But despite the criticism, Mrs Merkel told Germany's lower house today that she would be standing by her open doors policy.
In a nod to critics in her conservative party, especially in Bavaria, where most of the migrants enter Germany, she said that migrants who do not need protection must be sent home.
'But simply sealing ourselves off will not solve the problem,' she said.(FA)
