(see previous).
EU border agency Frontex's
Triton naval mission in the Mediterranean will not replace
Italy's Mare Nostrum migrant sea search-and-rescue operation,
Frontex chief executive Gil Arias Fernandez reaffirmed Thursday.
"The agency and the European Union cannot be a substitute
for member states' responsibility in controlling their borders:
we will provide support," Arias said.
Last Thursday Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano
said Operation Triton would "put an end to Mare Nostrum" after a
meeting of European interior ministers in Luxembourg.
"We will not have two lines of defense of our borders,"
Alfano said.
Italy has saved tens of thousands of migrant lives as a
result of its Mare Nostrum mission, launched after two boat
disasters killed about 400 people in October 2013 .
However the country has been struggling to cope with the
increasing numbers of migrants arriving in Europe across its
southern borders and called on Europe to help.
Operation Triton "will begin on November 1 independently of
what happens to Mare Nostrum: the decision whether to cut back
or terminate this last operation falls to the Italian
government," Arias said.
The Frontex chief went on to clarify the limits of its
action: "Saving lives is always an absolute priority, but the
Agency's mandate is to control borders, we do not do search and
rescue, even if a border control mission often becomes search
and rescue," he said.
Arias added that, following an appeal to EU member states
two days ago, Frontex now has "more than sufficient" resources
to fund the Triton operation, which will be coordinated by
Italy.
The mission has a monthy budget of 2.9 million euros and
will make use of two ocean-going and two coast guard vessels,
two motorboats, two planes and a helicopter.
Meanwhile on Thursday the Italian section of Amnesty
International said Mare Nostrum must be "in no way downscaled,
but rather strengthened and supported by all EU member states"
on the basis that this operation has a broader mandate than the
Triton mission and thus is better placed to meet the real needs
of migrants attempting the perilous sea crossing in pursuit of a
better life in Europe.
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