The huge influx of migrants to the European Union is testing the bloc's unity, Mediterranean foreign ministers said Friday, warning member states against "unilateral actions" to tackle the crisis.

"Migration remains the major issue testing the EU's unity and ability to respond to an international problem," ministers from the "Med Group" bloc said after talks in the Cypriot resort of Limassol.

Hundreds of mostly Syrian refugees rescued by a cruise liner in the Mediterranean agreed to disembark in Cyprus on Friday after a standoff triggered by their demand to go to Italy.

A total of 345 migrants were plucked by the Salamis Filoxenia from a trawler in rough seas off the coast of Cyprus on Thursday.