Italy presses Libya on migrants

Efforts to control immigration in Italy are a hot political issue

Italy has urged Libya to do much more to stop illegal immigration, after hundreds of arrivals on Italian shores at the weekend.

About 480 people, thought to have come from north Africa, arrived on Lampedusa island on one boat - a new record.

Another boatload of about 190 reached the same tiny island, while a third group of about 130 made it to Sicily.

Libya's ambassador in Rome was summoned to the Italian foreign ministry on Monday to hear the official complaint.

Reception facilities on the island of Lampedusa have been swamped by the growing number of arrivals.

Correspondents say migrants heading for the European Union illegally often end up on Lampedusa, which is nearer Tunisia than mainland Italy. An unknown number have drowned during voyages.

Italian foreign ministry secretary general Umberto Vattani was quoted as saying Libya must make "a much bigger effort" to halt the departure of migrant boats, in line with agreements reached during Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's visit to Libya last month.

People-smuggling

This weekend's arrivals in southern Italy include migrants claiming to be from various countries in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.

Migrant boats test EU

Italy believes few are genuine political refugees and that most are fleeing poverty.

Thousands are dumped by people smugglers on Italy's southern shores during the summer months.

The BBC's David Willey in Rome says Lampedusa, Italy's southernmost Mediterranean outpost, is the easiest point of arrival for the smugglers, who are now operating out of Libya as well as Tunisia and Morocco.

Rome says the Italian ambassador to Tripoli has been ordered to seek "maximum co-operation in the initiatives already agreed to fight illegal immigration" from the Libyan authorities.

Mr Berlusconi and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi had talks last month on ways of stemming the growing tide of migrants.

The two countries signed an accord in July agreeing to mount joint sea, air and land patrols from mid-September.

Italy is also pushing for reception centres to be set up in Libya to stem the tide of "boat people" crossing from North Africa.

Libya has some 9,600km (6,000 miles) of maritime and desert frontiers and lacks equipment and personnel to patrol them effectively.