EU seeking consensus on migrant mission

World
Europe

The European Union is seeking "practical solutions" to ensure its migrant rescue operation continues to fight human trafficking in the Mediterranean, a foreign policy official said.

Italy has asked the EU to modify the rules of the Sophia naval force and rotate the ports where migrants rescued at sea can disembark, with France and Spain expected to top the list.

Currently, all the ships dock in Italy, which commands the Sophia mission, but Rome says it should not have to carry the burden on its own and it is time other EU states do their fair share by taking in more of the migrants.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said finding a solution to continue the mission "will not be an easy exercise," in comments after informal talks by EU defense ministers.

Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative of EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy /VCG Photo

"We finalized the meeting with an understanding that we will continue to work together to find a consensus on practical, sustainable solutions on the issue of how to manage the people that are disembarked by the vessels with a constructive, cooperative and responsible attitude from all member states," she said after the meeting in Vienna.

One solution would be to have more ports for disembarkation, while another could be relocation after disembarkation, she said, warning that if Sophia, which was set up three years ago to fight human trafficking, fails, more people could arrive again over the dangerous sea route.

Italian Defense Minister Elisabetta Trenta said the talks "could have been better" but she placed her hopes in a meeting of EU foreign ministers that also takes place Thursday and Friday in Vienna. "I have to say that I found open doors but also closed ones," she said.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said his country was ready to take on a share of responsibility together with other willing partners. "We need Sophia, now and in the future," he said in Vienna before attending the foreign ministers meeting.

A migrant rests on board of the rescue boat after he was rescued in central Mediterranean Sea, August 2, 2018. /VCG Photo

EU leaders will meet in the Austrian city of Salzburg in September to discuss the migrant crisis. Austria currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

Sophia was launched in June 2015 following a series of deadly shipwrecks and has since picked up thousands of migrants floundering in the Mediterranean.

Italy has been turning away ships with migrants rescued at sea in a campaign to make EU countries take their share. Last week, it threatened to stop billions of euros of EU funding over the issue, accusing Europe of turning its back as Italy grapples with seemingly endless migrant arrivals.

Source(s): AFP