Algeria opposes a proposal by some EU countries to set up holding centres in North Africa to halt the flow of illegal immigrants to the European Union
Published:
25 October 2004 y., Monday
Algeria opposes a proposal by some EU countries to set up holding centres in North Africa to halt the flow of illegal immigrants to the European Union, Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem said on Sunday.
Algeria is the second North African country after Tunisia to reject the proposals set out by Germany earlier this month for centres to process the immigrants outside EU borders, notably in North Africa. Italy supported the plans.
"(Algeria) cannot accept having a camp on a Maghreb country's territory where illegal immigrants will be cooped up, waiting for their papers to be processed in a European country," official news agency APS quoted him as saying.
It was the first time Algeria has officially reacted to the proposal.
Each year thousands of migrants, the majority from sub-Saharan Africa, arrive in Italy because of its proximity to North Africa. Italy has deported more than 1,000 immigrants to Libya following a repatriation deal with Tripoli.
The European Union has been debating ways to stem the flow but the German proposal has met with resistance.
France has questioned the financing of the plans, and whether they would respect human rights. Paris raised the prospect of the centres attracting human traffickers, who make thousands of dollars smuggling people into Europe.
Belgium has said it opposed the proposal, while Sweden urged the EU to look at ways to address the root causes of illegal immigration.
Šaltinis:
nzherald.co.nz
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
It's 50 years since Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled here from Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.
more »
Women across the EU earn on average 17.4% less than men, according to new EU statistics, released as part of a commission campaign to narrow the pay gap between the sexes.
more »
It's 1941 and the height of WWII. Amid all the suffering, a couple of Italians imprisoned for anti-fascism sketched out a vision of how post-war Europe could look on cigarette papers.
more »
Kenya's president Mwai Kibaki denies press accusations that he has a second wife.
more »
In the last 30 years the European Union has striven to seek gender equality in all aspects of its work.
more »
Proposals to boost shopper's confidence on the high street and the internet will be opened to public debate by MEPs Monday afternoon.
more »
How the EU promotes creativity and innovation – 20 projects showcased in Brussels
more »
A desperate battle to save the lives of hundreds of pilot whales beached on an island off Tasmania.
more »
Four year old Krishna Goraik‘s family refuse to arrange his funeral because child‘s mother believes by offering prayers he will come back to life after seven days.
more »
Leading MEPs have joined Nicole Kidman and the UN in the “Say NO to violence against women” campaign.
more »