MEP says Arab countries should do more to prevent any further loss of lives

Referring to the 44 immigrants saved by the Maltese authorities 75 nautical miles out at sea Busuttil said that Arab countries should do more to prevent any further loss of lives. 

The EPP conference discussed the theme of 'Supporting the Arab Spring by Strengthening Trust'. 

"Countries should first come clean and admit that there was no trust on the issue of migratory flows. For whereas Arab countries saw a fortress Europe that is too engrossed with its own crises, EU countries resented the lack of cooperation of Arab countries on migration," Busuttil said.

Busuttil proposed three measures that could be taken by each of the two sides in order to strengthen trust.

"On the one hand, the Arab side had to accept that immigration would form part of a comprehensive cooperation agreement with the EU, do much more to stop illegal crossings across the Mediterranean and commit themselves to respect of human rights and sign up to the Geneva Refugees Convention.

"EU countries must take the following three actions: firstly, increase technical assistance, including technical assets, to help Arab countries better control their borders, including their maritime borders," Busuttil said.

"Secondly, increase their financial assistance to help Arab countries implement adequate immigration policies. Thirdly, open legal routes of migration as a concrete alternative to illegal routes. This includes committing to some form of visa facilitation as well as opportunities for legal employment in the EU.

"All this means that we need to have a truly common immigration and asylum policy and it is only by acting together that we can truly strengthen trust," Busuttil said.

Busuttil's speech drew an immediate reaction from the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, who expressed his strong agreement with Simon Busuttil's remarks, particularly following his recent visit to a refugee camp in Tunisia.