Brussels, 08/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 7 April, the European Commission called on Libya to cooperate more in combating the departure towards Europe of illegal immigrants. Jacques Barrot, European Immigration Commissioner, said however that the conditions set out by Tripoli are difficult to accept. “Libya has asked for logistic support and funding for surveillance of its southern border”, Barrot explained to AFP, after a meeting in Brussels with Libyan Ambassador Ahmed Hadeiba Alhadi. “It is very hard to meet these demands. It is thus not certain that the African countries will agree to a fund for immigration-related problems to be sustained by the European Development Fund”, he stressed. “I wish to reopen dialogue with Libya and I want to get to the bottom of things”, he said, not ruling out a trip to Libya to see what measures could be set in place. “We must put a stop to people smugglers”, he said. “I have also said we were willing to help them in order to avoid losses at sea but that this involved close cooperation with Frontex”, the commissioner went on to say. “The problem, however, is now that of what can be done with the persons saved. Where can they be taken?”, he asked. “We need readmission agreements with Libya, but the Libyans say these persons come from other countries of Africa with which they do not have agreements, and so they cannot be sent back there”, he said. According to the commissioner, the Libyan authorities are weighing up the problem as nearly 2 million candidates for immigration to Europe are present on their territory. (B.C./transl.jl)