Italy changing opinion on Frontex

Italy is sending diplomatic signals it is changing its stand on anti-illegal immigration patrols coordinated by the EU's border agency Frontex in the Mediterranean.

Following indications that Italy will boost its participation in the second phase of the Nautilus II operation, scheduled to resume on September 10, the Italian government has now made an official appeal to Frontex to help Italy fight illegal immigration.

Italian Home Affairs Minister Giuliano Amato last Wednesday made a request to European Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini to involve Frontex in helping solve the problem of illegal immigration in Italy.

According to Italian media reports, Mr Amato expressed concern over the frequent debarkation of illegal immigrants in Italian islands. Over the past two days, 250 Algerians illegally entered Sardinia.

Frontex sources told The Times the Italian call signifies a change of attitude on the part of Rome, which has never been totally convinced about the effectiveness of controls carried out on the coast by Frontex, preferring individual partnerships with third countries similar to the Italian-Libyan cooperation already in place.

Originally, Italy was not even willing to participate in this year's Nautilus II operation, held last July, and was only persuaded to do so at the 11th hour by Mr Frattini. Even then, Italy still showed its reluctance towards this mission and only had a "token" presence in the form of a small aircraft to patrol the Sicily-Malta-Libya strait.

Frontex sources had told The Times last week Italy is now expected to start involving its navy in the second phase of Nautilus II, thus beefing up its presence in the anti-illegal migration mission.

Mr Amato had told The Times last June Italy did not believe Frontex missions are effective without Libyan participation. He said that "if Libya does not participate in this mission it will have little or no effect at all. Italy sees Libya's participation as part and parcel of this project and we have already told the Commission and the other EU member states about this".

However, Frontex sources said Italy is now more convinced that the Frontex missions are having an effect and wants to increase its presence in these operations.

According to Mr Amato, 12,419 illegal immigrants arrived in Italy in 2007, as opposed to 14,511 in 2006. Over 400 migrants have been intercepted since Monday evening off the Italian coasts by the coastguard and by Customs. Europol, the EU police agency, believes that more than 500,000 illegal immigrants make their way into the European Union every year.