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| UN warning over Mediterranean crossing patrol force from EU | UN warning over Mediterranean crossing patrol force from EU |
| (7 months later) | |
| The United Nations refugee agency has warned that more people will die trying to cross the Mediterranean if the creation of a new EU border patrol to replace an Italian naval operation leads to a reduced search and rescue presence. | The United Nations refugee agency has warned that more people will die trying to cross the Mediterranean if the creation of a new EU border patrol to replace an Italian naval operation leads to a reduced search and rescue presence. |
| After nearly a year of Mare Nostrum, a €9m (£7.15m) per month mission launched by Italy in the aftermath of last October's Lampedusa drownings, the EU's home affairs commissioner, Cecilia Malmström, said on Wednesday she hoped a new operation run by Europe's border control agency, Frontex, in the waters between north Africa and Europe would begin by the end of November. | |
| Italy has been calling for months for an increase in efforts to deal with the migration crisis, in which more than 1,800 people are estimated to have died this year despite Mare Nostrum, and for the problem to be dealt with at a European level. | Italy has been calling for months for an increase in efforts to deal with the migration crisis, in which more than 1,800 people are estimated to have died this year despite Mare Nostrum, and for the problem to be dealt with at a European level. |
| But, in the absence of concrete details about the new operation, concerns have crept in after Malmström warned that it would "probably be a little bit more limited in scope and in geographical extension" and could not be expected to match the scale of Mare Nostrum. | But, in the absence of concrete details about the new operation, concerns have crept in after Malmström warned that it would "probably be a little bit more limited in scope and in geographical extension" and could not be expected to match the scale of Mare Nostrum. |
| Carlotta Sami, spokesperson for the UN's high commissioner for refugees in southern Europe, warned any reduction in the capacity of the new mission – to be called "Frontex Plus" – would have a clear impact. "The risk is that more people will die, of course," she told the Guardian. "If the operation is reduced, the risk is that we will have more people dying." | Carlotta Sami, spokesperson for the UN's high commissioner for refugees in southern Europe, warned any reduction in the capacity of the new mission – to be called "Frontex Plus" – would have a clear impact. "The risk is that more people will die, of course," she told the Guardian. "If the operation is reduced, the risk is that we will have more people dying." |
| Sami said the UNHCR was happy the operation had been taken on by the EU as it showed Brussels had recognised the "urgent need for a common strategy", but it was clear that the flow of people fleeing war and persecution and attempting to cross the Mediterranean, fuelled in part by the deteriorating security situation in Libya, was not going to stop. | Sami said the UNHCR was happy the operation had been taken on by the EU as it showed Brussels had recognised the "urgent need for a common strategy", but it was clear that the flow of people fleeing war and persecution and attempting to cross the Mediterranean, fuelled in part by the deteriorating security situation in Libya, was not going to stop. |
| "Many of the incidents" in which migrants were running into trouble at sea were either close to the Libyan shore or within international waters, she added. | "Many of the incidents" in which migrants were running into trouble at sea were either close to the Libyan shore or within international waters, she added. |
| Malmström's spokesman, Michele Cercone, was quoted as telling La Repubblica that Frontex Plus would not enter international waters, unlike Mare Nostrum. At a press briefing, Malmström said the new operation, which will rely on contributions from EU member states, would not be a "duplication" of the Italian-run scheme. | |
| "Exactly what will happen to Mare Nostrum is, of course, for Italy to decide," she said. "It will not be an identical replacement, but the Frontex Plus operation will substitute, take over, Mare Nostrum even if it will not be to the same extent as Mare Nostrum. Mare Nostrum has been a very ambitious operation and we don't know if we can find the means to do exactly what Italy has done." | "Exactly what will happen to Mare Nostrum is, of course, for Italy to decide," she said. "It will not be an identical replacement, but the Frontex Plus operation will substitute, take over, Mare Nostrum even if it will not be to the same extent as Mare Nostrum. Mare Nostrum has been a very ambitious operation and we don't know if we can find the means to do exactly what Italy has done." |
| While she had previously said Frontex Plus would "complement" and give "increased assistance" to Italy, the Italian interior minister, Angelino Alfano, made it clear his intention was to phase out the mission, which, while gaining the support of NGOs, has proved politically incendiary on the Italian right, with government critics claiming it has encouraged migrants and refugees to make the perilous journey in rickety, unseaworthy boats. | While she had previously said Frontex Plus would "complement" and give "increased assistance" to Italy, the Italian interior minister, Angelino Alfano, made it clear his intention was to phase out the mission, which, while gaining the support of NGOs, has proved politically incendiary on the Italian right, with government critics claiming it has encouraged migrants and refugees to make the perilous journey in rickety, unseaworthy boats. |
| "Mare Nostrum showed it was possible to rescue tens of thousands of people, especially vulnerable people like pregnant women and children," said Michele Prosperi, spokesman for Save the Children Italy. "Whatever shape or form the [new] system takes, it must guarantee the same capacity." | "Mare Nostrum showed it was possible to rescue tens of thousands of people, especially vulnerable people like pregnant women and children," said Michele Prosperi, spokesman for Save the Children Italy. "Whatever shape or form the [new] system takes, it must guarantee the same capacity." |
| If the result were a reduced presence, he added, this would "be a contradiction that we cannot accept" given the worsening situation this year in Libya and the Mediterranean. | If the result were a reduced presence, he added, this would "be a contradiction that we cannot accept" given the worsening situation this year in Libya and the Mediterranean. |
| There was little information immediately available concerning either Frontex Plus's eventual size or its cost. Malmström said it would be the result of two existing projects of the border agency, "merged and extended to a new upgraded operation", and warned that its success would depend on the contributions of member states. | There was little information immediately available concerning either Frontex Plus's eventual size or its cost. Malmström said it would be the result of two existing projects of the border agency, "merged and extended to a new upgraded operation", and warned that its success would depend on the contributions of member states. |
| "We are trying to define what would be the needs: how many people do we need? How many boats do we need, how many helicopters etc," she said. "And once we know this Frontex will launch a call upon member states to do that." | "We are trying to define what would be the needs: how many people do we need? How many boats do we need, how many helicopters etc," she said. "And once we know this Frontex will launch a call upon member states to do that." |