Post date: Feb 21, 2011 7:56:6 PM
The European Union condemns the killing of anti-government protesters in Libya and Italian foreign affairs minister Franco Frattini expresses concern over the possibility of an influx of illegal migrants of a "gigantic proportion".
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (FEBRUARY 21, 2011) REUTERS - European Union foreign ministers condemned the killing of anti-government protesters in Libya on Monday (February 21) as they met to discuss the fallout from the wave of unrest sweeping North Africa and the Middle East.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton said Libya should respect the right to peaceful protest and cease violence against civilians."We condemn the ongoing repression against demonstrators in Libya and deplore the violence and death of civilians. We call for an immediate end to the use of force against protesters and for all parties to show restraint. Freedom of expression, the right for peaceful assembly are human rights and fundamental freedoms of every human being and should be respected and protected," said Ashton at a news conference after the ministerial meeting.
Ministers from Britain, France, Germany and Italy earlier expressed alarm at the violence and concern about the possibility of an influx of illegal migrants from North Africa after Libya's threat last week to stop cooperation in stemming the flow.
Ashton said the EU would work towards keeping dialogue open with Libyan authorities.
"We are very clear for the need to have this dialogue for the future and to see peaceful protests being allowed. I think that's what the European Union believes and that's what we have collectively said. And I hope the Libyan authorities will listen to that and will move towards a peaceful dialogue," she said.
Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini echoed Ashton's comments. He said a national dialogue of reconciliation was essential to avoid Islamist extremists taking over power in Libya.
'''The question is about the region of Cyrenaica and nobody can deny that, and that in Cyrenaica there are grouping of Islamist extremists a few kilometers from European coastline, nobody can deny that either. This is why I believe a national dialogue of reconciliation is fundamental so that we don't leave one part in the hands of Islamist extremists and the other part in the hands of the military. This frankly would be very dangerous,'' Frattini said, referring to eastern region of Cyrenaica in Libya.
Italy is struggling with a new wave of illegal migrants from North Africa after the recent unrest in Tunisia.
Frattini said the unrest could lead to illegal immigration of a "gigantic proportion''.
"Italy cannot imagine being on its own faced with the possibility of a migratory flux of gigantic proportions coming from the South to the North and we obviously talked about this,'' Frattini said.
Frattini also called for a "Marshall Plan" to assist North Africa and the Middle East.
Leaving the meeting, Britain foreign secretary William Hague said the European Union is facing ''immense'' dangers because of the latest unrest.
''If we don't succeed there then the dangers to the European Union of instability or extremism on our frontiers are immense so it is a historic opportunity for the EU but a real historic responsibility as well,'' Hague said.
Libya has frequently threatened to cancel cooperation with the EU on illegal migration in the past.