Statement: Commissioner Malmström deplores loss of life in boat tragedy between Libya and Lampedusa

On 12 May 2014, the European Commission issued a statement on the new tragedy that took place in international waters between Libya and Lampedusa, resulting in at least a dozen deaths.

EU member states should 'show concrete solidarity in order to reduce the risk of such tragedies from happening again', said the European commissioner for home affairs Cecilia Malmström.

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said 'Either Europe helps us to police the border or we will enforce the principle that right of asylum granted by Italy can be exercised anywhere in Europe'.

• Primary Source

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ESO: Background information: Lampedusa is wake-up call for EU immigration policy, church says http://www.europeansources.info/record/lampedusa-is-wake-up-call-for-eu-immigration-policy-church-says/

ESO: Background information: EU must help Italy with migrant influx - UN http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-must-help-italy-with-migrant-influx-un/

The Malta Independent, 13.05.14: Refugee tragedies a wake-up call for Europe (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE143357-Refugee-tragedies-a-wake-up-call-for-Europe

Deutsche Welle, 12.05.14: Italian media report deadly shipwreck of migrant boat between Libya and Lampedusa http://dw.de/p/1ByOx

Corriere della Sera, 13.05.14: Lampedusa: EU shirks responsibility (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE143306-Lampedusa-EU-shirks-responsibility

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Euro|Topics, 20.05.14: Power struggle in Libya http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER143736-Power-struggle-in-Libya

Corriere della Sera, 13.05.14: Renzi Slams EU over Migrants http://www.corriere.it/english/14_maggio_13/renzi-slams-eu-over-migrants-e19525b2-da87-11e3-87dc-12e8f7025c68.shtml

BBC News, 21.05.14: Italy rescues child migrants from seas as concern grows http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27499877

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