Prodi lauds Malta's initiative to host high-level meeting

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi praised Malta's initiative to host a high-level meeting with Libya and Italy next month on illegal migration and applauded both countries on their acceptance to collaborate over the issue.

Prof. Prodi said Libya needs to be involved in the process if the problem of illegal migration affecting Italy and Malta is to be solved.

His comments came following a scathing attack on Libya's policy on illegal migration by Antonio Di Pietro, Minister for the Infrastructure, and a prominent member of the Prodi government.

Writing on his own website, Dr Di Pietro accused Libya of politicising the issue and using illegal migrants to exert pressure on the Italian government to obtain financial compensation.

He accused Libya of not cooperating and of deliberately not controlling its coast so as to allow more migrants to cross the Mediterranean and reach the EU.

"Almost all the illegal immigrants arriving in Italy are coming from Libya. Colonel Gaddafi is trying to use this issue to exert pressure on Italy to pay for the construction of a new road in Libya costing €3.5 billion as compensation for the Italian occupation.

"The arrival of so many illegal immigrants from Libya is a direct threat to Italy's territorial sovereignty and we need to act over the issue," he wrote. In what is seen as an effort to avert a diplomatic row between Italy and Libya, Prof. Prodi praised Libya's acceptance to participate in the meeting with Malta and Italy. He said contacts between the Libyan and the Italian foreign ministries have been ongoing and the Italian government is satisfied with the level of cooperation by the Libyan authorities.

Prof. Prodi said Libya needs to be assisted to keep away thousands of illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa who are entering its territory illegally on their journey towards the EU. He called upon the EU to find ways to collaborate with Libya on this issue.

Over the past weeks the European Commission has asked Libya several times to declare its willingness to cooperate with EU joint sea patrols against illegal migration in the Libya - Italy strait. Libya has so far not given any answer. The patrols, coordinated by the EU border agency Frontex, are due to start next month.