MEPs, Sarkozy and Berlusconi ask EU Borders action on illegal migration : Turkey worse than Libya ?

The need for imminent EU Council's decisions to protect Europe from massive illegal immigration traffickers mainly accross EU's Southern Maritime Borders, guarded by FRONTEX, and in particular to convince 3rd Countries as Turkey to respect their obligations, was strongly stressed, after EU Parliament's debates this week in Strasbourg, also by French President Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, in a joint move on Friday.                                   

Astonishingly, facts debated by MEPs, EU Council and Commission, and cited by the Italian and French leaders, reveal that the EU-candidate and EU- funded Turkey behaves worse than ..Libya !

Europe, contrary to the US, being surrounded by other 2 nearby larger Contintents, Africa and Asia, often with easy to cross Maritime External Borders, particularly from the South/East, the main focus is on the Mediterranean :

Thus, the heads of the 2 bigger Mediterranean countries, French President Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, in a joint Letter to EU Council's chair Swedish Prime Minister Reinfeldt, and EU Commission's President Barroso, stressed the need for "the next EU Council... to decide immediately" on the matter.

- "A considerable challenge for EU and all its member states, on Humanitarian, Political and Social grounds, is Illegal Immigration", which "exerts an unprecedented pressure on EU's Exiernal Borders, in particularly in the Mediterranean", they stress from the outset

- That's why, "Mediterranean is an important Test for the credibility of the European activities", as well as "for the application of the EU pact on immigration and asylum" already decided in 2008.

- "Solidarity among EU Member States should not remain only words, but should go towards a real burden-sharing", they note.

The "clear political message to revitalise Europe's commitment against illegal migration in the Mediterranean", launched by "EU Council of June" 2009, "must now have a concrete and ambitious follow up", they observe.

Paradoxicaly, while one of the "clear and detailed Political Orientations" which "must be decided without delay", is the obligation of "3rd countries of origin to cooperate" in order to "struggle against illegal immigration at the Sea", nevertheless, a non-candidate, and non EU - funded 3rd Country as Libya had its illegal migration flow "recently reduced", while, on the contrary, EU candidate and EU-funded Turkey "has still to make similar efforts" !

Thus, Libya only needs to "consolidate" its recent moves by concluding an agreement with the EU, (with the help also of International organizations providing protection whenever due)? But, on the contrary, "Turkey is 1st to have to assume its Responsibilities, mainly on Borders control and on Readmission", the French and Italian leaders stress.

What is needed is "a real mobilization of Countries of origin, transit and destination, ..across the main migration roads, focusing on prevention and struggling against illegal migration networks" or trafficking of human beings.

The other key points are : - "Maritime operations in the Mediterranean" with "a clear commitment" to "intercept and return back", while"respecting International obligations".  "Specialized Offices for Frontex" "created wherever needed", for "monitoring and checks" to act "on the spot". "Common operations of Airflights for return at an EU level". The creation of an "Erasmus" program for "Border Guards", "in order to help emerge .. a real professional community Europe-wide".

    The French and Italian concerns are largely shared also in Greece and Cyprus, while EU Council and Commission are already "aware", showed EU Parliament's debates, earlier this week in Strasbourg :

    Even .. "harassment by Turkey of Aircraft operated by the EU Agency for External Border Security (FRONTEX), was denounced by MEP Nicolaos Houdis, in a written question to the Swedish EU Presidency, debated during EU Parliament's plenary in Strasbourg.

- "Since May 2009, 6 incidents have been recorded in which aircraft operated by the EU agency for External Border security (Frontex) have been subjected to harassment, either by Turkish Aircraft or through Radio communications", observed the MEP.

 F.ex.  "on .. September ..a Frontex Helicopter flown by ..Latvian pilots ..en route from the island of Kos to Samos, ..received radio interference from a Turkish radar ..demanding that it withdraw from the area !", he noted, asking the EU "what measures it will it take vis a vis Turkey ?".
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    - "EU Councll is aware of these incidents", replied EU Chaiwoman in office, Swedish EU Minister Cecilia Malmstrom, and "says to Turkey that as a candidate country, they have to share Europe's values".

    - "Frontex's turbo Airplanes" are part of its "common operations" which "are important contributions to the protection of EU's External air Borders", she observed.

    - "Borders depend from International Legal Treaties", and "EU has urged Turkey to strive for better neighborhood relations".

    Fex. "Poseidon 2009 operations" by Frontex, taking place in Greece", "focus on preventing illegal crossing of borders by individuals who come from, or transit through Turkey and North-African countries, trying to reach the Greek coasts". This "includes, of course, also the use or technical means in EU's Airspace along the Greek islands' Border", and "Turkey was informed", EU Chairwoman noted.  

    - Thus, "EU urged Turkey to avoid all kinds of Threats, provocation of Conflicts, or measures which can damage the positive climate and the possibilities that conflicts find a peaceful solution", while "we (EU) systematically remind Turkey that it must have Good Neighborhoud Relations", fex. on May and July 2009, Malmstrom stressed.

    Currently, Turkey is negotiating about "methods for working" eventually with Frontex, she added, but without elucidating what kind of "methods" Ankara asks..
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    Moreover, "EU Commission is aware" of "a particularly grave problem" of "illegal immigration in Cyprus" where "a large number of 3rd countries' citizens illegaly cross the "Green Line"" from the territories occupied by Ankara's Army, a reply given to a written MEP question stressed this week.

    But controversial EU Commisioner on Enlargement, Oli Rehn, was criticized by Cyprus' MEP Antigoni Pericleus-Papadopulu, for "not even intending to exert pressure on Turkey" (fex. by "threatening an eventual suspension, even partial, of accession negotiations, if Ankara still fails to comply with its obligations", as she said), but, on the contrary, limiting himself only into .. "studying" ways to "help Turkey's efforts" (sic) "by augmenting EU Funds to Turkey, via pre-Accession Aid" even more !

    Rehn appeared satisfied merely by the fact that "EU Commission's envoys visited Turkey on September 2009" in order to "incite the Turkish authorities to make greater efforts to face illegal migration", resulting only in Ankara's acceptance to "re-start again negotiations on re-admission", and to promisse to "accelerate negotiations for an agreement on cooperation with Frontex"...

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