Vatican City - Top Vatican officials, citing Wednesday a new message by Pope Benedict XVI, urged European nations to show more solidarity towards refugees and immigrants from poor countries.

"In a globalized world, migration is unstoppable and the problem won't be solved by closing borders, but by welcoming" people, said Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican's refugee department.

States needed to adopt "correct, equitable and supportive norms to regulate migratory flows," he told reporters.

Martino was commenting on the Vatican's release Wednesday of a message prepared by the pontiff for the Roman Catholic Church's next World Day of Migrants and Refugees, scheduled for January 18, 2009.

European and other rich nations have chosen to import "arms" to do the work that they think will ensure that their economies flourish, Martino noted.

"But what they need to realize is that those arms are attached to people, who have their own families, culture, traditions and religions," Martino said.

Benedict in his message referred to the St Paul, a "migrant by vocation" who travelled to different countries to preach the Gospels, making no distinction of nationality or culture.

The modern Church and "every baptized person in the era of globalization" needs to follow the example of Paul, and reach out "towards the variegated universe of migrants - students far from home, immigrants, refugees, displaced people, evacuees - including ... the victims of modern forms of slavery, and of human trafficking," Benedict said.

Migrants must be seen not as "invaders" but as people with whom to live and work, Martino said.

The cardinal referred to his recent trip to Chile when asked to comment on moves by the European Union - spearheaded by French President Nicolas Sarkozy - to tighten rules allowing immigrants' family members to join them in their adopted nations.

Chile's reforms which went in the opposite direction should "serve as an example to European nations." Martino said. (dpa)