His comments came as Portugal's government said its survey of the country's capacity to receive refugees would be completed by the end of this month.


"It may not be the ideal methodology, but it is a reasonable one," Guterres said in reference to the need for countries to ensure an "effective integration" of refugees.


Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal, was speaking at a news conference in Brussels on the refugee crisis.
On his trip to Portugal a few days ago, Guterres took note of the creation of a platform bringing together non-governmental organisations, the Catholic church and local councils to coordinate the reception of refugees.


Under the European Commission's latest plans, Portugal is to receive some 5,000 of the refugees who are currently in Greece, Italy and Hungary.


Guterres also stressed the need to pay more attention to Serbia, which is not a European Union member but which is receiving thousands of people ever day "without the absorption capacity and without being a rich country." This, he said. could result in an "impossible situation" for that country and "create opportunities for smugglers" to take refugees on to EU member states.


He called for "sustainable solutions", proposing a "plan B" after the failure of EU governments to agree compulsory quotas to receive refugees, with those countries that are willing to do so getting started as soon as is feasible. In addition, he said, there is a need for people to be well received on arrival in the EU, in Greece and Italy.


But Guterres also appealed for countries in the Persian Gulf and North America to take in refugees, too.


Portugal's minister for solidarity and social security, Pedro Mota Soares, said meanwhile that the survey of the capacity of non-state welfare institutions to receive refugees would be ready within the next two weeks or so.


"The social sector will carry out a survey of its whole network, of all what's available to receive and feed [refugees], to deal with links to schools, to the health sector and also integration, training and the teaching of Portuguese," the minister told journalists after a meeting with institutions in Porto.


Without commenting on how many refugees Portugal could ultimately take - a matter that is being handled by the Ministry for Internal Administration, Mota Soares said that the country "supported the proposal" from the European Commission.


Lino Maia, president of the National Confederation of Solidarity Institutions, told journalists after the Porto meeting that there was "a great will, a great capacity" on the part of member organisations to receive refugees. While acknowledging that many of them would not see Portugal as their ideal destination, "certainly they will find in Portugal a good reception."