Italy still out of Nautilus II

The second EU anti-immigration operation off the coasts of Malta coordinated by the EU border control agency Frontex will start on June 22, European Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini said yesterday.

The operation, Nautilus II, will involve the participation of naval and air forces from Malta, Greece, France and Germany and should take place over the summer months. Italy has not yet accepted to participate in the mission, as it did last year.

Mr Frattini appealed to Italy to support the mission.

"Regrettably, I have to say that my country, Italy, has not yet decided to participate in this mission in the centre of the Mediterranean. My country should have a strong interest in joining this mission patrolling the Mediterranean sea between Sicily, Malta and Libya. I want to make another appeal to Italy to change its mind. I have already spoken to Italian Home Affairs Minister Giulio Amato and he promised to do his utmost so that Italian boats will join Nautilus," he said.

Nautilus I, the first such mission in the Mediterranean, was launched last October and lasted just 15 days. No illegal immigrants landed in Malta during that operation.

Frontex is conducting another anti-immigration mission in the Atlantic, off the Canary Islands, and Mr Frattini said it has become so effective that the Spanish government is pressing for the patrols to continue all the year round.

Mr Frattini said Nautilus II will have two aims: To save lives and to act as a deterrent to illegal immigration. He appealed for more member states to participate and to make their resources, such as vessels and planes, available as soon as possible.