Brussels, 15/09/2009 (Agence Europe) - European Immigration Commissioner Jacques Barrot said, on Tuesday 15 September, that in early 2010 he would propose strengthening of the European external border agency (Frontex). “We want to make best use of and strengthen the role of Frontex in border cooperation”, Mr Barrot said during a debate on European immigration policy at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The commissioner therefore announced that he would present a draft amendment to the agency's mandate. “We are looking at how Frontex can organise repatriation of illegal migrants”, he added. He also pointed out that the right to “non-refoulement” should be respected and that it was necessary to set interpretative rules in place relating to international law and Community law on the interception of migrants at sea. Sweden's Immigration Minister Tobias Billström, for his part, called for the financial resources allocated to Frontex to be put to best use. In his view, the agency should also be able to cooperate with third country border control authorities. Concerning cooperation with third countries, Mr Barrot pointed out that he had sent a letter to the Libyan authorities in July offering assistance in managing migratory flows, as well as assistance in combating illegal immigration, identification of migrants and international protection. “I look forward to an answer to our letter” so that cooperation may begin, Mr Barrot said. On the subject of Turkey, the commissioner announced the presence in Ankara of Director General Jonathan Faull, who is negotiating a framework cooperation based on re-entry of illegal migrants and the international protection of refugees. “If these two countries take up our offers, we shall be able to go there before the end of the year with the presidency”, Mr Barrot said. He finally evoked the launch of a pilot project to the benefit of Malta whereby France has already agreed to take in 100 refugees. “I should like this gesture to be copied by other member states”, he said. The commissioner finally pointed out that he had received an answer from the Italian authorities containing explanations on potential asylum seekers being turned back (“refoulement”) this year towards Libya. His services are currently analysing the response. Maltese MEP Simon Busuttil (EPP-ED) was pleased with the fall in the number of migrants that sought to gain the European coast this summer. In his view, this result is due to Italy's repatriation of migrants, a method that has also had the effect of severely hitting smugglers. However, said Sonia Alfano (ALDE, Italy), the fall in the number of migrants arriving is quite simply due to the rise in the number of deaths in the Mediterranean. “It is unacceptable to send migrants back to Libya”, she said. Several MEPs, after the fashion of Stravos Lambrinidis of Greece, also reacted strongly to the harassment of Frontex vessels and helicopters by the Turkish authorities. (B.C./transl.jl)