Libya-Italy sea patrols may start within weeks

Libya and Italy may start sea patrols to deter illegal migrants from entering Europe within weeks to sharply reduce the flow of migrants arriving in Italy, Libya's envoy to Rome said.

Ambassador Hafed Gaddur warned, however, that solving the migrant problem did not lie in greater patrols or with Libya - which Italy accuses of not doing its part to stop migrants - but by improving conditions in conflict-ridden Africa.

The two countries last year agreed to set up joint patrols to curb migrant arrivals - an emotional issue in Italy where flimsy, crowded migrant boats arrive frequently. A subsequent pact between the two in August reiterated the goal.

"When they realise that there are these new patrols, with the risk that they'll be caught, it will definitely reduce the flow of migrants," Mr Gaddur said in an interview at the Libyan embassy on Friday.

The joint patrols should start once Italy's Parliament approves the August accord - in a matter of weeks or a month or two at most, he said.

Under the deal, Italy will supply six patrol boats to Libya with crew of both nationalities, a Libyan commander and will fly the Libyan flag, Mr Gaddur said.

The boats will mainly patrol Libyan waters but can also operate in international and Italian waters if needed, he said.

Italian officials say 306 out of 325 migrant boats that arrived in Italy from the start of the year through October 9 set off from the Libyan coast.

The two countries share close commercial ties - Italy is Libya's main European trade partner while Italy relies on Libya for energy supplies - but illegal immigration is a sore point.

Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, who has led a crackdown on illegal immigrants, last month accused Libya of not respecting immigration accords and said Tripoli should pay as much attention to that problem as it does to business interests in Italy such as UniCredit, in which Libya has a stake.

Mr Gaddur said Libya is committed to tackling the problem, but 4,000 kilometres of desert borders and conflicts raging in nearby Sudan, Chad and Mali make it difficult to prevent migrants from pouring into its own country.

"People fleeing due to poverty or fear has pushed illegal immigration towards Europe. This mass movement has existed in history for as long as poverty and wealth, good and evil have existed," he said.

"We're trying to stop or reduce this flow, but history teaches us that as long as there is poverty and wealth, this movement of masses becomes natural."

The key challenge for countries around the world is to create jobs and promote welfare in African countries, he said.

"No one likes leaving their own country, but if life forces them to then people are willing to even risk their life for a better life," he said.