Malta proposed at an EU Home Affairs Ministers meeting today that a task force should be set up to focus on irregular migration, including tracking down people traffickers who were behind irregular migration.

The proposal was made by Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia, who said the reaction was very positive.

He said he stressed at the meeting that tragedies such as the one in Lampedusa were an issue which involved the whole EU, and not any single country.

Malta demanded concrete action and insisted that words were not enough.

"We made a series of suggestions, including measures for stronger action against criminal organisations, particularly those involved in smuggling migrants," Dr Mallia told timesofmalta.com.

"We suggested that we should have a task force, with an operational action plan of tangible measures. We were pleased to note that immediately after the Commission stated they would support idea of a task force."

Malta also argued that the situation in Libya was difficult but it was important for Libya to open up negotiations and the EU should not give up.

"We should not give up. We could discuss even asylum being granted there if the right regulations are found," Dr Mallia said.

Dr Mallia said the European Commission’s proposal [for expanded Frontex patrols to cover the whole Mediterranean] was one measure that could be discussed by this task force, along with other measures.

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