Editorial

News that Libya is seriously considering joining a European Union agency plan to run sea patrols in the centre of the Mediterranean if it receives assistance from the EU to patrol its desert borders comes as a most welcome change in its attitude.

If EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini now manages to get official approval for the offer of cooperation to Libya at a meeting of the Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers on September 21, this may well lead to a breakthrough in the efforts to stem the flow of illegal immigrants.

Such a breakthrough, if it were to materialise, would also save lives. Many have perished in the seas close to Malta as they were running away from their own countries in small boats in search of a better life elsewhere or to escape political persecution. Many more have drowned on their way to the Canary Islands. This on-going heart-breaking tragedy ought to bring about a greater sense of urgency in efforts to tackle the problem than that seen so far.

When Mr Frattini said there was no quick-fix solution to the problem, he was stating a truism. However, greater sensitivity on the EU's part to the plight of member countries hit by illegal immigration and an immediate response in the form of concrete action to help stem the flow could have made all the difference to a problem that has caused so much concern.

Even so, matters appear to be moving at last, perhaps not at the desired speed but moving nonetheless. The Maltese government has been acting extremely careful in not displeasing Libya in any way in its efforts to ease the problem. It is the correct attitude to take as Malta values the good relations it enjoys with Libya. This has served both countries well, and there is every justification for supporting any moves meant to strengthen such relations, especially now that Libya is opening up to the world after the lifting of the sanctions imposed over the Lockerbie bombing.

However, that having been said, it is also in Malta's interest to see that effective action is taken to ease the illegal immigration problem now. Libya has not been enthusiastic about the plans for the carrying out of sea patrols, and its ambassador, Saad El Shlmani, has forcefully argued that ordering immigrants back to Libya is not the solution.

Ideally, the solution is for the international community, including, of course, the European Union, to help the countries from where the immigrants are fleeing, to help themselves. But this is a process that does not happen overnight. So, the ideal solution does not eliminate the need for action to tackle the problem now.

At one point in a newspaper interview, the ambassador said that Libya was doing more than it should. It is doubtful though if Libya is in fact doing its full part, even though, according to the ambassador, the country has doubled its efforts and has also set up a new coast guard organisation.

Even so, what counts most now is that Libya may be prepared to change its mind over the running of sea patrols if its plea for help to patrol desert borders is accepted. It is in Libya's own interest to join in the EU agency drive as otherwise countries directly hit by the problem would not be all that pleased by its uncooperative attitude.

There may not be a quick-fix solution to the problem, but goodwill and coordinated action by all the states involved within the EU border agency would go a long way towards easing it.