Tag Archives: Franco Frattini

Italy Seeking New Immigration Agreement with Tunisia; Frattini and Maroni Likely to Travel to Tunis on 22 March

In an interview posted yesterday on the Italian Foreign Ministry web page, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that the “real problem [with the current flow of migrants from Tunisia] is the loosening of controls [in Tunisia] and [that he and Interior Minister Maroni] will almost certainly be in Tunis [on Tuesday, 22 March] to establish a bilateral agreement.”  Minister Frattini said in the interview that Italy is ready to provide “practical help”, has released 90 million euros to Tunisia, wants to discuss deploying Italian naval patrols along the Tunisian coast, and wants to block human trafficking.

Click here (IT) for Foreign Ministry posting and here (IT) for article.

[If Foreign Ministry link does not load properly try this link and look under 20 Marzo 2011.]

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EU Foreign Affairs Council: Condemnation of Libya, but No Call for Sanctions or Travel Bans

The conclusions of the just completed EU Council meeting on Foreign Affairs were released yesterday.  Not surprisingly, Libya was a major topic of discussion and there was condemnation of the Libyan government’s actions.  But there is a strong difference of opinion among member states regarding what else should be done.  Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb called for the imposition of sanctions against Gaddafi, his family, and Libyan government officials saying “it was hypocritical that Europe last month slapped sanctions on the Belarussian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, and his associates. ‘How can we on one side look at what’s going on in Libya, with almost 300 people shot dead, and not talk about sanctions or travel bans, and at the same time put travel bans and sanctions in Belarus?’.”  Italy strongly opposed imposing sanction against Libya:  Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini called for a “European Marshall Plan” instead of sanctions.  His plan would “include political, economic, and social support” for Libya.

Among the agreed upon conclusions was the following:  “The Council stresses the importance of strengthened cooperation with Mediterranean countries to address illegal immigration, in accordance with the principles of international law. JHA Ministers meeting later this week in the Council will pursue detailed work on this issue.”

Click here for the Foreign Affairs Council Meeting Conclusions.

Click here, here, here, and here for articles. (EN)

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Frattini and Berlusconi Slow to Criticise Gaddafi

As reported by the EU Observer, while the EU and most member states are now condemning Libya’s actions, “[o]n the other side of the EU divide, Italy is horrified at the possible loss of a close ally. Foreign minister and ex-EU-commissioner Franco Frattini is trying to convince other European states that Mr Gaddafi has promised constitutional reforms and that the bloc should allow him to make good. ‘Italy as you know is the closest neighbour of both Tunisia and Libya so we are extremely concerned about the repercussions on the migratory situation in the southern Mediterranean,’ Mr Frattini told reporters on Sunday. The previous day, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he did not want to ‘disturb’ his long-time friend with appeals for restraint.”

Click here for article.

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Italy and Tunisia Reach Agreement on Operational Cooperation – Migration Flow May Be Slowing

Tunisia’s Interim PM Mohamed Ghannouchi and Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini reached an agreement Monday evening to establish what Tunisie Afrique Press news service describes as “operational co-operation to stop the flow of illegal immigration.”  The agreement includes “providing the Tunisian army with advanced technology equipment , a radar network for monitoring and patrol boats to be operated by the Tunisians.”

Even before this agreement was announced on Tuesday, Tunisia has been taking further steps to secure its ports and coast.  There are some media reports that the migrant flow is slowing.  It is unclear whether this is due to Tunisia’s efforts or due to the reported bad sea conditions which may be discouraging boats from sailing.

Click here, here, and here for articles. (EN)

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Frattini Calls for Naval Patrols and Possible Blockade of Tunisian Coast

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has called for naval or coast guard patrols along the coast of Tunisia and a possible blockade of Tunisia in order to prevent the reoccurrence of the events of August 1991 when thousands of Albanians reached Italian territory by sea after the collapse of the Albanian dictatorship.  (While the first wave of Albanians in March 1991 were largely welcomed by Italy, the second wave of 15,000 Albanians in August 1991 were not welcomed and were detained by Italian authorities.)

During a press conference earlier today in Syria, Frattini said that “until now the mechanism of patrolling the coast of North Africa worked and we want to restore the mechanism that up to a month ago had reduced illegal immigration to zero.” Italy is ready to offer “tools” to help land and naval patrols in Tunisia.  Italy can offer much to Tunisia, from “logistical support in terms of equipping the police forces, including the provision of important tools, both naval and land, to patrol the coast of Tunisia.”  (“Fin’ora il meccanismo dei pattugliamenti delle coste nord africane ha funzionato e vogliamo ripristinare quel meccanismo che fino ad un mese fa aveva portato a zero l’immigrazione clandestina”. L’Italia ha pronti “strumenti” navali e terrestri per aiutare la Tunisia nel pattugliamento . L’Italia può offrire molto alla Tunisia, a partire da “un aiuto logistico in termini di equipaggiamento delle forze di polizia, ivi compresa la messa a disposizione di strumenti importanti, sia navali sia terrestri, per il pattugliamento della costa tunisina.’’)

Click here (IT) and here (EN) for posts from the Italian Foreign Ministry

Click here (EN) for article.

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Frattini: Italy is facing migration emergency

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini released a statement describing the recent arrivals by Tunisians as an immigration emergency and calling for a “Marshall Plan” for immigration from the south.  The statement also says that Tunisia’s new Foreign Minister will visit Italy next week to reaffirm cooperation agreements between Italy and Tunisia.

Full statement:

11 Febbraio 2011

“Per l’immigrazione dal Sud del mondo serve un ‘piano Marshall’ e cioè una visione strategica un po’ più di medio termine”. Lo ha detto il Ministro Franco Frattini, soffermandosi, a Trieste, sui nuovi sbarchi di clandestini a Lampedusa. “E’ un allarme vero e noi lo avevamo previsto – ha detto Frattini – Per questo la prossima settimana sarà in Italia il nuovo ministro degli Esteri della Tunisia per riconfermare gli accordi di collaborazione”.

Per Frattini “siamo in presenza di una vera e propria emergenza migratoria e noi non possiamo immaginare che l’Italia sia il luogo dove tutti arrivano e tutti restano. Con la Tunisia avevamo una eccellente collaborazione e la dobbiamo confermare con il nuovo ministro”.

Sul concetto di ‘piano Marshall’ per l’immigrazione, Frattini ha quindi spiegato che “significa avere una visione un po’ più di medio termine, vuol dire non limitarsi all’emergenza. Vuol dire che questi Paesi – Tunisia, Algeria, Egitto ma anche altri – richiedono una strategia in cui l’Europa metta a disposizione fondi assai più sostanziosi per lo sviluppo economico, per i giovani, per gli studenti, per l’università”. In pratica, ha concluso il Ministro, “un piano Marshall per evitare che la disperazione innesti flussi di immigrazioni. Questo è il pericolo”.

Or click here (IT) for the statement.

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Libya May Allow Eritreans to Remain – Italy Claims Credit for Decision

Libya has reportedly agreed to allow approximately 400 Eritreans to remain in Libya, though they will not be given refugee protection as Libya is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention.

ANSAmed reported that Italian officials have claimed credit for Libya’s decision, though the Italians have questioned whether any of the Eritreans have been mistreated and whether any of the Eritreans were subjected to Italy’s push-back practice.  Italian Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Stefania Craxi stated that ”the Italian government never backed away from raising awareness with[] Libyan authorities on the topic of human rights.”  Craxi said ”it is thanks to the Italian government [that] the UNHCR activities in Tripoli have started again, albeit in an informal and conditioned way.”  Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said ”it is unbelievable that Brussels did not even make a press release.  [Italy] worked in silence, without proclamations, sadly with the total and absolute absence of Europe. We asked for a compromise, a mediation and the result came.”

While it is good if the Italian Government did indeed work to arrive at a temporary and imperfect solution for this particular group of Eritreans and it is good that the Italian ministers speak of respecting human rights in Libya, the Italians should be equally if not more concerned with the human rights implications of their push-back practice in the Mediterranean.

Click here for article.

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Hammarberg Makes Urgent Request of Italy for Information on Eritreans in Libya

COE Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg has made an urgent request to the Italian Government for information on alleged human rights violations of Eritrean migrants in Libya, including Eritreans who may have been among persons intercepted at sea by Italy and forcibly returned to Libya without being afforded an opportunity to seek international protection.

In a letter to the Italian Foreign Minister, Commissioner Hammarberg wrote “[g]iven the recent decision of the Libyan authorities to discontinue UNHCR’s activities in the country, it is increasingly difficult to confirm the exact accuracy of these reports. However, given their consistency and the seriousness of the allegations, I hope that I can count on your cooperation to urgently clarify the situation with the Libyan authorities and be kept informed about the results of your investigations.”

The Foreign Minister and Interior Minister have written a joint letter to the Il Foglio newspaper where they say that the Italian Government “was mediating with Tripoli to identify the Eritreans and try to find them employment in Libya so that they would not be forcibly repatriated.”  According to Reuters, the ministers also said “it was necessary to respect Libyan sovereignty and [they] called for an international approach, involving the United Nations and other organizations” and that the “fate of these Eritrean citizens cannot be resolved only through our bilateral relationship (with Libya).”

Click here for the Commissioner’s letter to the Italian Foreign Minister.

Click here for the Commissioner’s letter to the Italian Interior Minister.

Click here for article.

Click here (IT) for Italian Ministers’ Reply to Il Foglio.

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Malmström: Right to Seek Asylum At Sea Should Be Respected

Commissioner Cecilia Malmström held meetings in Italy yesterday and has meetings in Malta today.  In her meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini she suggested that any possible future migration agreement between the EU and Tripoli ”would not follow the model of the [current migration] agreement between Italy and Libya.”  ANSA reported she said that while it is ”important to try and begin dialogue” with Tripoli, ”if there is an agreement, it is clear that the fundamental condition for Libya must be adherence to the Geneva Convention or the equivalent among African states ”on the rights of political refugees.”

In regard to current practices, Malmström said that the right to seek asylum should be respected even when one is already at sea. (”Bisogna comunque – ha concluso la Malmstrom – rispettare il diritto di chiedere asilo quando si e’ gia’ in mare”.)

Click here (IT), here (EN), and here (IT) for articles.

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Besson et Frattini: renforcement des frontières “urgent”

“La France et l’Italie veulent un renforcement ‘urgent’ des frontières extérieures de l’UE afin de lutter contre les filières d’immigration clandestine…. Paris et Rome veulent un ‘développement des capacités opérationnelles de … Frontex en vue de mettre en place la police européenne aux frontières prévue par le Pacte européen sur l’immigration et l’asile’ et une ‘généralisation des accords de coopération opérationnelle et de réadmission avec les principaux Etats tiers d’origine et de transit’.”

“Les ministres de l’UE en charge de l’immigration doivent tenir le 25 février à Bruxelles une réunion extraordinaire convoquée par Eric Besson après la découverte de 123 Kurdes sur une plage corse en janvier.”

Cliquez ici pour l’article.

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Frattini, Ministre des Affaires étrangères: l’Italie est le pays le plus engagé à sauver la vie de ceux qui sont en danger en Méditerranée

Discours de Franco FRATTINI Ministre des Affaires étrangères de l’Italie le 26 janvier à l’occasion de la 1ère partie de la session ordinaire de 2010 de l’Assemblée parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe (Strasbourg, 25-29 janvier 2010).

(Extrait du compte-rendu des débats)

M.. FRATTINI, ministre des Affaires étrangères de l’Italie (Interprétation):

“[***] [L]’immigration peut et doit être gérée pour bénéficier de toutes ses potentialités, minimiser le risque des chocs sociaux, et pour encourager au mieux une insertion harmonieuse des nouveaux arrivants dans nos pays.

Pour l’Italie, cela signifie qu’il convient d’adopter une double approche. Il convient d’un côté de lutter avec détermination, contre l’immigration clandestine, de l’autre, de gérer les flux migratoires, tout en définissant une stratégie à long terme pour préparer les parcours d’intégration des migrants en situation régulière.

Nous savons que les flux migratoires qui viennent de l’Afrique par la Méditerranée vers l’Europe représentent l’un des problèmes les plus complexes les plus urgents et les plus dramatiques de notre époque.

Ce défi exige une approche moderne qui tienne compte de l’aspect multidimensionnel de l‘immigration il suppose que tous les acteurs impliqués prennent leurs responsabilités : pays d’origine, pays de transit et pays de destination. En d’autres termes, il convient de mettre en place un véritable partenariat entre l’Europe et, principalement, les pays africains.

La question de l’immigration doit être abordée avec un mélange de fermeté et de sens de l’accueil, dans le plein respect de la légalité et des droits de l’homme, un respect profond pour les droits fondamentaux des migrants. Je dois dire que les opinions publiques européennes ne sont pas toujours pleinement informées du fait que l’Italie est une plate-forme facile à atteindre pour les immigrés clandestins et que lorsque nous accueillons des immigrés, c’est au nom de tous les pays de l’Union européenne. Nous sommes la porte de l’Europe.

C’est la raison pour laquelle l’Italie, malgré quelques vaines tentatives de communication, peut proclamer qu’elle est le pays qui s’est le plus engagé à sauver la vie de ceux qui sont en danger en Méditerranée, – et elle continuera de le faire.

Entre 2008 et 2009, nous avons secouru en mer plus de 40 000 migrants. Mais nous devons faire preuve de la plus grande sévérité à l’encontre des trafiquants d’êtres humains, car ces personnes étaient pour la grande majorité victimes d’un trafic bien organisé, nouvel esclavage du XXIe siècle.

Nous devons donc travailler sur la prévention, en encourageant le développement des pays d’origine. C’est ce que nous avons fait en situant l’Afrique parmi les priorités de la politique étrangère de l‘Italie.

La politique qui vise à gérer ce phénomène si complexe ne peut pas relever uniquement des pays qui sont le plus directement exposés en raison de leur situation géographique. C’est la raison pour laquelle l’Italie insiste pour que l’Europe s’engage davantage sur la question de l’immigration en Méditerranée. L’Union européenne doit faire plus et aborder ce défi dans un esprit de véritable solidarité entre les Etats membres. Une décision récente de l’union européenne, l’approbation du programme « Justice, liberté et sécurité », dénommé le programme de Stockholm, est un pas dans la bonne direction.

Les propositions de l’Italie ont été acceptées. Elles visaient à renforcer l’Agence Frontex, à mettre en place un Office européen de l’asile, à instaurer un régime commun d’asile dans le cadre européen et à développer la protection internationale en dehors du territoire européen. Enfin, l’initiative italienne visait à instaurer une coopération accrue avec les pays de la rive sud de la Méditerranée.  [***]”

Click here for full French text.

Click here for partial English translation of text.

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