EU in another bid to engage Libya

Brussels is making a fresh attempt to engage Libya in the fight against illegal immigration following the recent bilateral agreement between Italy and Libya to establish joint anti-migration patrols in Libyan waters.

The accord between Rome and Tripoli is being seen as "a stepping stone" towards more cooperation between Libya and the EU to confront illegal migration, sources close to the Commission yesterday told The Times.

It is estimated that almost all the illegal immigrants reaching Malta and the Italian island of Lampedusa leave from Libyan ports. However, the boats are not filled with Libyans but with sub-Saharan Africans reaching Libya through its un-policed southern borders.

There has been no official word yet on whether the Italy-Libya patrols have actually got under way, although they were due to start last week.

"The agreement with Italy has set the ball rolling and we think now is the time to engage Libya in our work against illegal immigration," an EU official said.

"Frontex (the EU's border control agency) is already conducting talks with the Libyan authorities to see whether they will accept to join our patrols in the central Mediterranean route this year. We have always maintained Libya's participation in these patrols is crucial," he added.

This year Frontex is planning to hold "longer and larger" patrols off the coast of Malta to try and control illegal migration and save lives. Although it is not yet known which EU member states will be deploying their assets, or when the patrols will start, it is understood these will not begin before the end of March.

Since Frontex missions kicked off in the Mediterranean in 2006, Libya has always turned down invitations from the EU's border control agency to take part and cooperate with its forces.

Libya has also refused to give Frontex permission to conduct surveillance close to its shoreline. On various occasions, Frontex has also had to intervene to cover Libya's search and rescue area when migrants found themselves in difficulty - their distress calls were not answered by the Libyan authorities.

Following the agreement with Libya, the EU did not waste any time before sending the Libyan authorities a sign of its goodwill. Last week, during a visit to Tripoli, the EU's External Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero Waldner announced the granting of €20 million to Libya to support the fight against illegal immigration and strengthening of border controls.

According to EU sources, Ms Ferrero Waldner made a forceful claim with Libyan authorities that they needed to try to stem migration from their shores, as this will not help the development of ongoing discussions between the two sides.

Talks include the establishment of a cooperation agreement covering various areas of trade, energy, transport and fisheries.

"Although discussions on this agreement are progressing slowly, they are progressing," the sources said.

"This is why we need signals from Tripoli that they are really fighting illegal migration. This will surely encourage the 27 member states to give the green light to an eventual EU-Libya cooperation agreement."

Ivan Camilleri, Brussels