Police chiefs from seven European Union countries and Turkey are meeting in Rome to discuss how to stem the flow of illegal immigrants from Turkey and other countries in the developing world.

The meeting was prompted by the arrival of several ships carrying hundreds of mainly Kurdish refugees off the coast of Italy in recent weeks.

But discussions are expected to cover wider issues like the threat large-scale population movements pose to European security.

Turkey has indicated it is willing to take back the refugees but would expect support in its bid to join the EU.

But controversially Italy is welcoming Kurdish refugees who are arriving in ever increasing numbers. They are being offered the chance to apply for political asylum.

German Interior Minister Manfred Kanther: Intensive controls needed

They run the lucrative traffic in poor immigrants across the Mediterranean.

As well as incurring criticism from fellow EU members, Italy has drawn praise from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees for its humanitarian policy towards Kurdish refugees.

But a new bill to tighten immigration procedures and pave the way for more expulsions is before the Italian parliament and is expected to become law shortly.

Officials from Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy - all members of the Schengen agreement on border controls - plus Greece and Turkey are present in Rome.

The UK government is also represented at observer level.

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