EU to lift Libya sanctions in return for migration help

By Martin Banks

Date: 23/09/04

THE European Union is set to follow the US in lifting sanctions against Libya in order to help Tripoli stem the flow of illegal immigrants.

A meeting in Brussels yesterday (22 September) of the EU's Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) voted to recommend a lifting of the embargo - Washington lifted its sanctions against Libya on Monday (20 September) to reward the country for giving up weapons-of-mass-destruction plans.

The EU, which is keen to invest in Libya's substantial oil reserves, is expected to follow suit when the recommendation is discussed at a foreign ministers' meeting on 11 October. The move was welcomed by Italy, which had been pressing for a lifting of the embargo so that Libya can patrol its shores more effectively and intercept the hundreds of illegal migrants who head for Italy each month.

Libya has signalled its willingness to cooperate in stemming the transit of people from Sudan, Chad and Niger to the Libyan coast but argued it was unable to do so because of lack of resources.

Rome has been urging the EU to allow exports of equipment, such as binoculars and boats, to Libya to help the country tackle the problem.

The call was backed by Malta, where hundreds of illegal migrants have been intercepted since January.

Coreper's recommendation was welcomed by Maltese diplomats in Brussels: "It is very good news and will, hopefully, help Libya purchase the equipment it so badly needs to monitor its borders more effectively," one said.

Speaking in New York, Italy's Foreign Affairs Minister Franco Frattini described the decision as "highly satisfactory".

A Dutch presidency official said: "The Coreper decision was unanimous and the way is now almost clear for EU sanctions against Libya to be lifted."

The EU imposed sanctions on Libya in the late 1980s when it emerged that the authorities in Tripoli were linked to terror attacks, including the Lockerbie and UTA airliner bombs.

The Italian interior ministry says more than 9,700 illegal immigrants, many from northern Africa, have arrived on Italy's shores so far this year. Several member states, including Italy and Germany, are pushing to set up "reception centres" in Libya for illegal migrants, but the proposal has sparked controversy.

Rocco Buttiglione, Italy's nominee European commissioner for justice and home affairs, is expected to face severe criticism during his hearing before the European Parliament on 5 October over his support for such centres.

The EU's Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) voted on 22 September 2004 to recommend a lifting of the embargo against Libya, in place since the late 1980s, to reward the country for giving up weapons-of-mass-destruction plans and in order to help Tripoli stem the flow of illegal immigrants. The US Government had lifted its sanctions against Libya on 20 September 2004.