Brussels, 28/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - France intends to remain “firm” on illegal immigration and hopes to prevent “uncontrollable” floods of illegal immigrants from North Africa, by giving its clear support to the Arab revolutions. It is urging the European Union to mobilise against the problem of illegal immigration, indicates the AFP news agency, quoting the French Prime Minister François Fillon, who adds that France would “take a very tough stance against illegal immigration”.
According to AFP, Fillon admitted that “there are going to be big waves of migration” due to the situation in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt where the regimes of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak have been swept away. This weekend, the UN said that there were almost 100,000 people, mainly Egyptian and Tunisian workers, at the borders with Tunisia and Egypt. On Sunday evening, French President Nicolas Sarkozy stated: “We know what could be the consequences of such tragedies on uncontrollable immigration flows and terrorism. The whole of Europe would then be on the front line.”
Before the insurrection in Libya, almost 6,000 Tunisians had arrived over the space of just a few days on the Italian island of Lampedusa. Italy, however, was unable to convince its counterparts at the EU home affairs ministers meeting on Thursday 24 February. The country had wanted to activate a series of tools, such as the Special Solidarity Fund for southern European countries which are finding themselves in the front line. Italy also sought to make progress on the question of burden sharing between the EU27 on questions regarding asylum and immigration. Similarly to Italy, France, as explained by the country's President Sarkozy, has also called for a special summit to decide on a “common strategy” to tackle the Libyan crisis, added the AFP agency. The EU27 are now expected to meet for discussions on this question at the European summit on 24 and 25 March. (S.P./transl.fl)