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EU sponsored sea patrols off the coast of Malta, has turned out to be a political farse, as months of high-powered and technical talks in Brussels, Italy, Malta and Athens, will in fact only have happened for a mere “two weeks”.
The joint patrols, conducted by navy vessels from Malta, Italy and Greece started last weeks, and will end next week, as it became “apparent,” that the illegal immigration problem is mostly “seasonal”.
Due to bad weather conditions these last few days, the joint patrols were not even hels, as two Italian ‘Guardia di Finanza’ vessels remained berthed at AFM’s maritime base in Hay Wharf, while the Greek vessel was moored at the Grand Harbour in Valletta.
Speaking to MaltaToday, AFM Commander Carmel Vassallo explained that the joint patrols will stop next week, “as winter is setting in and the immigration problem is not the same as in the Summer”.
While stating that since the beginning of the joint patrols last week, “no vessel has encountered boats with immigrants,” he also denied any knowledge of immigrant boats being “diverted” back to the Libyan coast.
Brigadier Vassallo stressed that he is “more than satisfied” that the patrols have started.
The much-awaited patrols are being monitored by Frontex, the EU frontier agency, that for months has been discussing with all Mediterranean EU states, methods of collaboration to counter the growing illegal immigration problem from North Africa.
While EU Commissioner Franco Frattini has insisted on starting the patrols, the EU is facing tough resistance from Libya to participate in the patrols, in international waters, just off it’s jurisdiction in the Gulf of Sirte.
The matter on illegal immigration is expected to dominate the agenda of the forthcoming EU-Africa summit to be held in Tripoli on the 23 November, for which foreign minister Michael Frendo is expected to attend.
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