On Saturday, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani said that Rome was looking to provide police patrol boats to the Libyan Coast Guard, to stop human smugglers.
In televised statements, Tijani added that he had discussed with his Libyan counterpart, Najla Al-Mangoush, “ways to strengthen the agreement regarding the file of migration. We have to work with Libya on the migrants.”
He pointed out that Italy “had always been ready to receive migrants, but it must guarantee the security of its borders, which are also the southern borders of the European Union.”
In a related context, the minister reiterated the need for agreements between European countries, and those from which boats depart. In order to solve the migration problem, through a long-term strategy.
“When there are nearly three billion people in Africa in 2050, if there is no strong action, there will be more and more people leaving the continent to come north,” he said.
“The stability of the Middle East means reducing migratory flows across the Balkans. We have posed these issues with great firmness, but with a view to finding solutions. We have started a debate, we hope to be able to reach the right conclusion in the coming weeks and months,” Tajani added.
Italy and Greece remain the two main points of entry for migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe.
“The countries of southern Europe cannot be left alone, in an emergency situation involving tens of thousands of people, who will have to relocate to other countries of the Union,” Tajani said after meeting his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias on Friday.
“Italy and Greece always show solidarity with people in difficult situations, but they cannot accommodate everyone for long periods,” he said. “The current rules can be improved.”