Half of Aquarius migrants 'seek asylum in France'

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Almost half of the 630 migrants that were rescued from the Mediterranean and arrived in Spain's port of Valencia at the weekend want to seek asylum in France, the Spanish government said Monday.

The migrants arrived in Spain on Sunday in three vessels, including the rescue ship Aquarius, after being turned away by Italy and Malta last week.

The majority of the 630 migrants are from Africa, including 450 men and 80 women, of which at least seven are pregnant, as well as 89 adolescents and 11 children under the age of 13, according to the Valencia authorities.

The Aquarius, run by French charity SOS Mediterranee, rescued them off Libya's coast on June 9 and Italy and Malta's refusal to let the ship dock led to an international outcry before Spain stepped in to help.

Madrid on Saturday said it had accepted an offer from France – who had angered Rome by branding it irresponsible – to welcome Aquarius migrants who "meet the criteria for asylum".

The Aquarius rescue ship enters the port of Valencia, June 17, 2018. /VCG Photo

France will examine asylum requests from Aquarius migrants who want to come over from Spain on a "case-by-case basis", government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said Sunday, adding it was "impossible" to know how many will arrive.

Meanwhile, new Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will travel to Paris on June 23 for talks with Emmanuel Macron on migration and euro zone reforms, the French presidency said on Monday.

The talks will take place less than a week after Madrid took in the ship Aquarius. The French presidency said the two leaders would discuss bilateral and European topics, specifically focusing on migration and Eurozone reform issues, to prepare for a European leaders summit at the end of June.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (C) will travel to Paris for talks with Emmanuel Macron. /VCG Photo

Pascal Brice, director-general of France's refugee protection office Ofpra, said that one of his teams would travel to Valencia soon.

"As soon as the Spanish authorities have informed us of the number of people concerned, a team from Ofpra will go on site to conduct the interviews and ensure that people are covered by the right to asylum," he said, adding that the process should take place this week.

Local leaders on the French island of Corsica had offered to welcome the Aquarius, but the move was slapped down by the central government, which argued that under international law the ship had to dock at the closest port.

A majority of the French public, 56 percent, back the government's decision, an opinion poll released Monday showed.

In Spain the migrants were granted authorization to remain in the country for 45 days while each individual’s legal case is studied.

Those who file a demand for asylum will be able to stay in the country while immigration services consider their request, a process that takes up to six months, said Paloma Favieres of the Spanish Commission for Refugees (CEAR).

(Cover photo: Migrants disembarking from the rescue vessel Aquarius upon arrival in Valencia, Spain, June 17, 2018. /VCG Photo)

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Source(s): AFP ,Reuters