Brussels, 14/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - French Immigration Minister Eric Besson announced on Tuesday 13 April that a system would be set in place to counter illegal immigration channels. This would include surveillance in the Mediterranean and interception at sea. The minister, who believes the European border control agency, Frontex, should be reinforced, has called on state services to implement new measures to combat international channels of illegal immigration and to cooperate with the main countries of origin and transit, the Ministry communiqué states. The system provides for surveillance and interception in the Mediterranean, technical and operational cooperation on the main migratory routes (Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, Far East, Caucasus, Eastern Europe), a stronger network of immigration liaison officers, and deployment of the diplomatic and consular network. On the occasion of the G6 meeting (Germany, Spain, United States, France, United Kingdom and Italy) in Varese on 28 May (Italy), Besson will suggest that the ministers of these countries become actively involved in a joint plan to combat these unlawful immigration channels, the press release stated. (B.C./transl.jl)