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Migration crisis: Obama and EU leaders to discuss naval patrols in Libya Migration crisis: Obama and EU leaders to discuss naval patrols in Libya
(about 1 hour later)
Barack Obama is to meet with the most four senior European Union national leaders to discuss stemming the flow of migrants from Libya by placing EU naval patrols in Libyan waters. Barack Obama is to meet the four most senior EU national leaders to discuss efforts to stem the flow of migrants from Libya by deploying naval patrols in the country’s waters.
The patrols, the most serious intervention in Libya since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, would be capable of sending refugees back to the country. The patrols, the most significant intervention in Libya since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, would be authorised to send refugees back to the country.
The hastily arranged meeting on Monday has been added to the US president’s schedule in Germany relatively late by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, added Monday’s meeting to the US president’s schedule relatively late.
It will also give François Hollande, the French president, and Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minster, a chance to meet Obama on his European visit. David Cameron, who met Obama in London, will also fly to Hanover for the talks that are likely to last only two hours. It will also give François Hollande, the French president, and Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minster, a chance to meet Obama. David Cameron, who met Obama in London, will also fly to Hanover for the talks, which are likely to last about two hours.
The meeting of the G5 will focus on the power vacuum in the Middle East, and its impact on mass migration into Europe. The G5 meeting will focus on the power vacuum in the Middle East and its impact on mass migration into Europe.
Michael Fallon, the UK defence secretary, said on Saturday it was necessary to break up the people smugglers’ business model at source in Libya. Referring to the EU naval mission Operation Sophia, he added: “The operation should move into Libyan territorial waters as soon as possible.” At present ships from Operation Sophia can only operate in international waters, and any refugees picked up cannot be returned to the African coast. Michael Fallon, the UK defence secretary, said on Saturday that the people smugglers’ business model needed to broken up at source in Libya. Referring to the EU naval mission Operation Sophia, he said: “The operation should move into Libyan territorial waters as soon as possible.”
Vessels that take part in Operation Sophia can currently only operate in international waters, and any refugees picked up cannot be returned to the African coast.
Fallon said HMS Enterprise would extend its operations in the Mediterranean beyond its scheduled departure next month.Fallon said HMS Enterprise would extend its operations in the Mediterranean beyond its scheduled departure next month.
The G5 is likely to discuss the extent to which the EU naval mission needs the permission of Fayez al-Sarraj, the Libyan prime minister, to operate in Libyan waters. The G5 leaders are likely to discuss the extent to which the EU naval mission needs the permission of Fayez al-Sarraj, the Libyan prime minister, to operate in the country’s waters.
Sarraj is struggling to win political support for his fledgling government, and any sign of diminished Libyan sovereignty weakens his ability to extend his internal support.Sarraj is struggling to win political support for his fledgling government, and any sign of diminished Libyan sovereignty weakens his ability to extend his internal support.
The foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, has also raised the possibility of military support for any Libyan government attempt to drive Islamic State from its stronghold in Sirte on the Libyan coast. He said in an interview published on Sunday he would consider a request to deploy British ground troops in Libya but “if there were ever any question of a British combat role in any form – ground, sea or air – that would go to the House of Commons”. The UK foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, has also raised the possibility of military support for a Libyan government attempt to drive Islamic State from its stronghold in Sirte.
On the Syrian civil war, Obama had given no indication in London that the US administration would propose a change in its policy at the Hanover meeting. He said he was surprised the seven-week ceasefire had lasted as long as it had, and again stressed the need for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, to put pressure on his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to negotiate on the details of a transitional government. He said in an interview published on Sunday that he would consider a request to deploy British ground troops in Libya but “if there were ever any question of a British combat role in any form – ground, sea or air – that would go to the House of Commons”.
The Syrian opposition has left peace talks in Geneva citing violations of the ceasefire and a refusal by Assad to negotiate a transition. On the Syrian civil war, Obama said in London that he had been surprised that the seven-week ceasefire had lasted as long as it had, and again stressed that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, should put pressure on his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, to negotiate on the details of a transitional government.
Obama suggested in London he had no Plan B ready to roll out. “I assure you that we have looked at all options. None of them are great.” He added that he was going to let the Geneva talks option play out. The Syrian opposition has left peace talks in Geneva citing violations of the ceasefire and Assad’s refusal to negotiate a transition.
“If, in fact, the cessation [of hostilities] falls apart, we’ll try to put it back together again even as we continue to go after Isil,” using the US administration’s preferred name for Isis. “And it’s my belief that ultimately Russia will recognise that, just as this can’t be solved by a military victory on the part of those we support, Russia may be able to keep the lid on, alongside Iran, for a while, but if you don’t have a legitimate government there, they will be bled, as well.” Obama suggested in London that he had no plan B ready to roll out. “I assure you that we have looked at all options. None of them are great.” He was going to let the Geneva talks option play out,” he said.
The only other options in Syria, apart from waiting for Putin to squeeze Assad, is for the G5 leaders to back more air drops to lift some of the sieges, or a wider arming of the rebels. “If, in fact, the cessation [of hostilities falls apart, we’ll try to put it back together again even as we continue to go after Isil,” he said, referring to Isis the US administration’s term for the group.
Obama is also visiting Germany to praise Merkel’s handling of the refugee crisis, and to sell the principle of an EU-US trade deal, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. “And it’s my belief that ultimately Russia will recognise that, just as this can’t be solved by a military victory on the part of those we support, Russia may be able to keep the lid on, alongside Iran, for a while, but if you don’t have a legitimate government there, they will be bled as well.”
The trade deal is increasingly unpopular in Germany, as well as in the US, amid fears that it will benefit corporate America and not European consumers. More than 30,000 demonstrated against TTIP in Hanover on Saturday, and his visit coinciding with the city’s prestigious trade fair will see further street protests against the president. The only other options in Syria would be for the G5 leaders to back more airdrops to lift some of the sieges, or a wider arming of the rebels.
Such is the slow pace of the trade talks, and hostility towards free trade in the US Congress, that it is extremely unlikely a US-EU trade deal will be settled for years. Obama is also visiting Germany to praise Merkel’s handling of the refugee crisis, and to sell the principle of an EU-US trade deal, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TIPP).
The trade deal is increasingly unpopular in Germany, as well as in the US over fears that it will benefit US corporate interests rather than European consumers.
More than 30,000 people demonstrated against TTIP in Hanover on Saturday, and the fact that Obama’s visit coincides with the city’s prestigious trade fair will mean further street protests.
Given the slow pace of the talks, and hostility towards free trade in the US Congress, that it is extremely unlikely a US-EU trade deal will be settled for years.
Obama said in an interview on Sunday that a US-UK deal in the event of a Brexit vote would take as long as 10 years to negotiate.Obama said in an interview on Sunday that a US-UK deal in the event of a Brexit vote would take as long as 10 years to negotiate.
In an interview published on Saturday by the mass market German daily Bild, Obama showered praise on Merkel saying: “I think that Chancellor Merkel’s stance in the refugee crisis was courageous – like that of many Germans,” he said, adding that Merkel had drawn attention to the world’s moral obligation to people who had fled “terrible circumstances”. In an interview published on Saturday by the German daily Bild, Obama showered praise on Merkel.
“I think that Chancellor Merkel’s stance in the refugee crisis was courageous, like that of many Germans,” he said, adding that the chancellor had drawn attention to the world’s moral obligation to people who had fled “terrible circumstances”.
“We can’t just close the gates on our fellow humans when they are in such great distress. That would betray our values,” he said.“We can’t just close the gates on our fellow humans when they are in such great distress. That would betray our values,” he said.