Libya offer on sea patrols delays Malta meeting

The much-publicised inter-ministerial meeting on illegal migration between Italy, Malta and Libya in Valletta on Wednesday has been postponed due to developments that could see Libya joining the EU sea patrols in return for cooperation on patrols in the desert.

Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg told The Times yesterday that EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini had informed him the inter-ministerial meeting would be postponed by some weeks so that a technical meeting between Italy, Malta and Libya could take place first.

"It is only for this reason that Libya requested the postponement of the meeting with Mr Frattini," Dr Borg insisted.

Frontex, the EU's border agency, had decided to start carrying out patrols near the Libyan border and send those fleeing Africa back to Tripoli. At least five countries had already agreed to join the mission, which aims to control the overwhelming amount of illegal immigration stemming from Africa.

The patrols were meant to start in the coming days and run for a couple of weeks, followed by a detailed review to analyse if the system could be improved. The plan had met resistance from Libya.

Having some kind of Libyan involvement in the sea patrols, was a "coveted target", Dr Borg said, and he preferred to postpone the inter-ministerial meeting in the circumstances to have "the possibility to give it a try".

"It could fail as well, but I would prefer to have sea patrols with Libyan cooperation than without," Dr Borg said.

Mr Frattini had told Dr Borg on Saturday that "the Libyans are seriously considering" joining the sea patrols if there is assistance from the EU to patrol its desert borders.

"Since Mr Frattini does not have a mandate to offer assistance for the desert borders, except through the Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers, scheduled for September 21, he suggested that the inter-ministerial meeting would take place afterwards. In the meantime, a technical group would start seriously discussing these patrols."

Dr Borg considered the development to be "positive" in that it showed that "Malta's initiative in getting the three ministers together had had the effect of pushing Libya to seriously consider a quid pro quo.

"It does not mean that Libya has accepted the sea patrols, but now it is at least considering joining them, provided it receives assistance for the desert patrols."

Libya's involvement in the sea patrols would have two positive effects, Dr Borg pointed out. It would grant the possibility not only of deterring illegal immigrants, but also of sending them back.

"The main disadvantage of the sea patrols as they were being planned until now is that they were going to create a wall - and not an impenetrable one!

"And what do you do with someone who is drowning? You try to save him. And what do you do with him then? You bring him to Malta, or Italy. But with Libya's participation, they (illegal immigrants) could be sent back to Libya."

The fact that Libya would not be opposing the sea patrols, Dr Borg augured, would also mean that more member states would participate, rather than only those that are directly affected by the situation.

"Following these technical meetings and the green light from the council on September 21, Mr Frattini has promised that the sea patrols would start towards the end of September," Dr Borg said.

However, he continued, although the patrols are coordinated by the EU, it is, ultimately, up to the member states to participate - until a European sea patrol unit is set up in a few years' time.

"These are unchartered and difficult waters, but the fact that there is a slight step ahead is positive and it is due to Malta's pressure and initiative in getting the EU to discuss the central Mediterranean area," Dr Borg said. In spite of all this, Dr Borg continued, Malta's position and Mr Frattini's, as confirmed to him on Saturday, was that, even if eventually the talks failed, the sea patrols should take place just the same.

The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported on Saturday that Libya had set a series of conditions and made clear it was not prepared to accept patrols outside its borders, unless it received financial assistance from the EU.

Mr Frattini was reported as saying that the EU was prepared to invest money and resources to monitor the African desert. As a sign of goodwill, the EU has agreed to supply Libya with vehicles within a fortnight and provide €1.5 million for the Libya-Nigeria border patrol.

He was quoted as saying that the delay in the meeting would enable Libya to make its demands clear.