Libya, EU sign crucial accord

Libya and the European Commission have struck a milestone cooperation agreement geared to help the North African country deal with illegal immigration.

If implemented, the deal will leave a positive impact on Malta because it would continue to stem the flow of illegal immigrants leaving Libya on rickety boats to reach Europe.

Malta has long been pushing the EU to reach a deal with Tripoli and this now takes the form of a cooperation agreement. The unexpected news was announced yesterday by the Commission’s home affairs spokesman, Michele Cercone in Brussels.

“I am delighted to announce a milestone agreement with Libya on illegal migration,” Mr Cercone said.

The deal was struck on Monday night during ongoing talks in Tripoli between a Commission delegation headed by Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and Libya’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mussa Kussa and his home affairs colleague, Abdul Ati al Obeidi.

According to the Commission, the two-year agreement, covers the period 2011 to 2013.

It includes “cooperation on the management of irregular immigration flows, border control and security, regional and pan-African dialogue on refugees and international protection to asylum seekers”.

It is not yet known how the agreement would work and what legal form it would take but the Commission said it would include setting up a mixed committee of senior officials from the Commission, its member states and Libya to oversee its implementation.

“This is just the first step in developing our relations with Libya but it is a very important one. We admit that Libya is not the easiest of countries to develop cooperation with, so we are extremely satisfied with this agreement,” Mr Cercone said.

Asked if the deal included a financial package, Mr Cercone said the Commission agreed to dedicate €50 million over the two years, which would not be given directly to Libya but used to fund cooperation projects under the agreement.

The financial package is a far cry from the demand of €5 billion a year made by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi last month in Italy.

However, Mr Cercone said the financial assistance could increase as Ms Malmström was still having talks on the necessary surveillance of Libya’s southern desert borders.

“Commissioner Malmström is dealing with this subject today (yesterday) and will be also trying to reach an agreement on this aspect”, he said.

A Commission’s spokesman did not exclude the possibility the EU would give Libya military equipment to control its 4,000-kilometre long desert borders.

EU Justice Ministers meeting in Luxembourg tomorrow are expected to be given the full details of the agreement by Ms Malmström.