11/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - At Commission Question Time on Wednesday 10 March, Spanish Secretary of State for European Affairs Diego López Garrido answered a question from Greek MEP Georgios Papanikolaou (EPP) on cooperation with Turkey on illegal immigration. Cooperation with countries of origin and transit countries has been one of the most marked areas of progress of the comprehensive illegal immigration and asylum pact. Negotiations with Turkey began in December 2009, with the last meeting taking place on 19 February. López Garrido spoke of “operational cooperation” between the Frontex agency and Turkey. The Council, he said, was not directly involved in these negotiations, though it was informed of progress by the Commission. Papanikolaou said that the Greek government was to vote that evening on a Bill that would make it easier to grant Greek citizenship: he feared that this would serve only to encourage greater numbers of illegal immigrants to Greece. The Council says that tougher controls should ward off this danger. (L.G./transl.rt)