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.
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