Illegal Immigration is an "Alarming problem facing Malta" not my choice of words but that of -Director of the EU's Border Control Agency.

More than 15,000 illegal immigrants have arrived in Malta since 2002

Illegal Immigration is a direct result of human trafficking - run by gangs operating with impunity from Libya.

The port of departure from Libya is almost invariably the Port of Al Zuwarah - this happens to be one of the closest point of departure to Malta.

Human trafficking is a crime at international law.

Libya refuses to abide by its international obligations.

EU proposals such as voluntary burden sharing have failed - so that the European Parliament's Committee for Civil Liberties accepts in principle that burden sharing should be on a compulsory basis is welcome.

Compulsory burden sharing will not become legally-binding before 2011.

Italy is refusing to accept illegal immigrants rescued close to the shores of Lampedusa, which is an integral part of Italy.

The source of the problem of illegal immigration is Libya.

Gaddafi's mindset is that Europe is in debt with Africa because of the Colonial past. Gaddafi is on record as stating "We have the right to go to Europe because we go after our wealth; They (the Europeans) left us empty"

Solution

The solution can be achieved in the same way that a solution was reached on the Lockerbie bombing.

Lockerbie December 21st 1988 was masterminded by Libyan agents.

The UN invoked economic sanctions against Libya.

It was only after Nelson Mandela put moral pressure on Gaddafi that the latter accepted responsibility for the Lockerbie Bombing

Mandela negotiated a deal in which the United Nations would not press criminal charges against Gaddafi provided that he accepted civil responsibility for the bombing

Gaddafi agreed, he accepted civil responsibility for the bombing and agreed to pay compensation and to deliver the Libyan suspects to an International Tribunal.

I am convinced therefore that this is what we must do. Combine diplomatic pressure with economic sanctions.

Malta - so what can we do?

For several years we have been asking Libya to fulfil its international and humanitarian obligations. To no avail - Libya ignored our pleas.

Although very recently (May 7) Libya has accepted the return of a group of illegal immigrants rescued at sea. This may be the first sign that the increasing pressure we have been applying on Libya is starting to work. We need to keep up the pressure - to force Libya to fulfil its obligations. As EU Members we have the power to take all the necessary actions, diplomatic as well as any other measure including EU sanctions against Libya if Libya does not adhere to its legal and moral obligations.

I will be Frank with Libya.

Speaking our minds clearly and frankly to a country which subjected us to gunboat diplomacy is what is required.

To Libya I say Frankly - Fulfil your international and your humanitarian obligations - or suffer the consequences.

http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/486e48534.html