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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 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. | 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 significant intervention in Libya since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, would be authorised to send 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. |
| Monday’s meeting 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 German chancellor, Angela Merkel, met Obama for talks on his arrival in Germany. | |
| The G5 meeting 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 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.” | 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. | 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 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. | 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 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. | 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. |
| 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”. | 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”. |
| 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. | 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. |
| The Syrian opposition has left peace talks in Geneva citing violations of the ceasefire and Assad’s refusal to negotiate a transition. | The Syrian opposition has left peace talks in Geneva citing violations of the ceasefire and Assad’s refusal to negotiate a transition. |
| 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. | 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. |
| “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. | “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. |
| “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.” | “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 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. | 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. |
| 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). | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 German daily Bild, Obama showered praise on Merkel. | 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”. | “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. |