European ministers meet for terror talks

Seeking stronger European co-ordination in the fight against terrorism and illegal immigration, interior ministers from Italy, France, Germany, Britain and Spain were wrapping up informal talks today at a Florentine villa.

With only five ministers present – instead of representatives from all 25 European Union countries – participants were expected to discuss ideas in depth. The two-day meeting, which began yesterday, was closed to reporters until a news conference scheduled for this morning.

One issue on the agenda was German Interior Minister Otto Schily’s contested proposal for North African processing centres for migrants and would-be asylum seekers. The idea has met with a mixed reaction, both at the European level and at home, with some fearing such centres might not give migrants a fair chance to apply for asylum.

However, Schily said the camps could offer protection to those seeking to enter Europe across the Mediterranean.

The migrants “would not then have first to set out on the life-endangering trip across the Mediterranean, but would have the possibility of making such an application outside the borders of the European Union”, Schily said.

Every year, tens of thousands of migrants from Africa, the Middle East and beyond make dangerous trips across the Mediterranean – many in rickety boats or rubber dinghies – hoping to build new lives in Europe. Many boats have overturned or sunk before reaching Europe’s shores.

The issue is difficult for Italy, as many boats aim for the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa, which is closer to Africa than to the Italian mainland. Italy has been criticised for a new policy of quickly repatriating migrants who arrive from Libya – a tactic human rights groups say denies people the chance to apply for asylum.

Other issues likely to come up for discussion include cooperation on policing, data sharing and border controls to fight international terrorism.

Ahead of the meeting, Spanish Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso said that the five European countries were pushing to have EU passports, national identity cards, visas and residence permits include both photos and fingerprints to help facilitate investigations of terrorism and organised crime.

Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu hosted the Florence meeting at a 19th century villa-turned-luxury hotel. Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin of France and British Home Secretary David Blunkett were also attending.