Brussels, 23/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 23 February, Italy sought obtain the support of southern European member states for its aim of a common position on immigration, reports the AFP agency. The minister for home affairs, Roberto Maroni, convened a meeting of his Maltese, French, Cypriot, Greek, and Spanish counterparts for this purpose. Today, Italy is in the front line when it comes to having to tackle the repercussions of events In Libya. The Italian Minister for foreign affairs, Franco Frattini, affirmed that the country has been worried by the fact that between 200 and 300,000 migrants could be soon arriving on its shores, said Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.
As a long-time ally of Tripoli, so that Libya would contain the flows of migrants from its shores, Italy is now worried by the possible collapse of the regime of Colonel Gaddafi. Frattini said that he feared an exodus of biblical proportions of migrants coming from Libya, speaking of a future “impossible to imagine”. The minister also called for EU 27 solidarity on Tuesday and said that Italy would not be able to manage “the arrival of possibly 200 or 300,000 migrants, without the assistance of other member states”. Some countries, however, have refused to budge on this burden sharing on illegal immigrants and asylum seekers. France does not want to revise current European rules on asylum, which could subsequently help relieve countries where the migrants are arriving (Italy, Malta and Greece). The subject will also be discussed during the Home Affairs Ministers Council in Brussels on Thursday 24 February. (S.P./transl.fl)