Brussels, 04/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - France has suggested that Tunisia should have closer links with the EU if it agrees to take back its nationals who have illegally entered Italy. “We will propose that Tunisia has an association agreement with the European Union, in exchange for a number of pledges, including taking back its illegal immigrants”, the Tunisian media reported on 2 April, quoting an interview given by French Prime Minister François Fillon to Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Saturday. “First and foremost, I want to express France's full solidarity with Italy on the migration flows caused by the revolutions in the south of the Mediterranean”, Fillon said.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi arrived in Tunisia on Monday morning and, following on from the visit by his foreign and home affairs ministers on 25 March, will take stock of the situation. Tunisia, meanwhile, has denied that any agreement was reached during the visit by the two ministers. “Given the statements carried in the Italian media and attributed to Italian political parties purporting that Tunisia is failing to observe the anti-illegal immigration agreement signed during the visit of the two Italian ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to make clear that no agreement was concluded during this visit, a highly-placed source in the Department said on Saturday”, official news agency TAP reports. (F.B./transl.rt)