Western European countries are holding an emergency meeting to discuss fears that a stream of Kurdish immigrants into Italy will derail their open-borders policy.

More than 1,000 refugees, mostly from Turkey, have landed in Italy over the past week. More are expected. Many are thought to be heading for Germany, France and the Netherlands.

Visions of an influx spreading unhindered through Europe's new passport-free group of states has shaken the nine members of the 'Schengen Agreement' and poses their first big test.

Germany in particular has been leading the charge against illegal Kurdish immigrants.

The German interior minister, Manfred Kanther, said Germany was doing all it could to avoid a political crisis and expected its partners - especially Italy and Greece - to do the same.

Germany already is home to about 500,000 Kurds, most from Turkey and Iraq.

Italy's long, unpatrolled coastline worries Germany

Immigrants applying for political asylum are entitled to generous social security payments while their claim is processed, a procedure which can take up to six years.

Italy, with its long Mediterranean coastline and a refugee policy many of its neighbours consider lax, has long been regarded as a prime entry point for illegal immigrants trying to reach other European countries.

Last week 1,200 mostly Kurdish boat people from Turkey and Iraq were brought ashore in southern Italy and coastguards there remained on maximum alert on Tuesday amid reports that ships carrying as many as 1,300 more were on the way.

Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are currently full members of the Schengen agreement.

Italy and Austria have scrapped passport controls for inter-Schengen flights and their land control borders are due to disappear in March.

Greece hopes to become a full member later in the year.

The EU meeting is due to be followed by more talks in Rome on Thursday between European and Turkish police chiefs.

Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage	©