http://www.maltamedia.com/news/2005/gp/ ... 7637.shtml

Libya admits control required for illegal immigration while another 70 immigrants repatriated to Egypt

By Alexia Conti
Oct 9, 2005, 11:46 CET

Reuters have reported that Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi "understands that control needs to be taken" as regards smuggling networks and illegal immigration from Libya. Kadhafi said this during France's Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to Tripoli where the latter called on the Libyan leader to "crack down on illegal immigration" as "80% of boats arriving in Lampedusa come from Libya". Even Malta has seen a surplus of illegal African immigrants arriving on the island, as a number of illegal immigrants wanting to make it to Italy for their first step into Europe, are landing on Maltese shores.

"France has offered to help in training Libyan border guards and legal investigators to probe smuggling networks, some of which are suspected of collaborating with terror groups," Reuters reported.

A large share of African traffic to Europe passes through Libya, which has some "1.2 million illegal immigrants representing every African nationality" among its 5.6 million residents.

"For the past year, Libyans have done a lot of work on this question and have begun a true repatriation policy," the French Interior ministry source said. The Maltese government too is currently negotiating repatriation agreements with Libya.

Meanwhile locally, a second group of 70 illegal Egyptian immigrants were repatriated back to Egypt on Friday evening. The first group was sent back home last Monday. Both groups of Egyptians were among the illegal immigrants who arrived last to Malta.

The procedures for the repatriation were made possible thanks to Adbel Karim Soliman, the Egyptian Ambassador for Malta and the Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs.