French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, after meeting yesterday with EC President Jose Manuel Barroso, said that it does not make sense to intercept Tunisian migrants at sea and then bring them to Lampedusa; it would make better sense if the Frontex mission based in Italy intercepted Tunisian migrant boats at sea and returned them directly to Tunisia.
Fillon said: “There is no rule that provides for the reception and free movement on European territory of illegal economic migrants. A large portion of the Tunisian migrants who have arrived in Italy, are not destined, as some suggest, to be resettled in different European countries, they are destined to return to their country.” («Il n’y a aucune règle qui prévoit l’accueil sur le territoire européen et la libre circulation des immigrants économiques clandestins. Une grande partie des ressortissants tunisiens qui sont arrivés en Italie, n’ont pas vocation, comme certains le proposent, à être répartis dans les différents pays européens, ils ont vocation à retourner dans leur pays.») Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini praised Fillon’s proposal.
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MIGRANTS AT SEA 