Germany backed the replacement
for Italy's 11th-month Mare Nostrum (Our Sea) search-and-rescue
programme, Frontex Plus, as a fresh wave of migrants hit Italian
shores Tuesday.
Italy has Germany's full support on the immigration front,
Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said after meeting with his
Italian counterpart, Angelino Alfano, in Berlin.
"Italy has a big responsibility right now, and
it has our full support," said the minister.
EU countries must stop blaming one another for the migrant
crisis, the burden of which has to date fallen mostly on Italian
shoulders, the ministers said in a joint statement.
"We must cooperate to find a common EU solution," de
Maiziere and Alfano said.
Alfano welcomes Germany's backing, which was not entirely
expected.
"This is an important day," said Alfano.
"After the support of France, we also have the agreement of
Germany," he added.
Frontex Plus, the EU-led migrant search-and-rescue
programme, is to replace Mare Nostrum in November.
Mare Nostrum was established almost one year ago after the
deaths of 400 migrants in two boat disasters in the seas off
southern Italy.
Hundreds of thousands of desperate people fleeing war in
Africa and the Middle East have been attempting the dangerous
crossing to Europe with Italy usually their first stop.
Alfano also said that Italy will do everything in its power
to curb illegal migrant trafficking across its borders with
Germany.
"We are ready to participate in joint actions to alleviate
and put an end to the phenomenon," Alfano told reporters after
meeting with his German counterpart, Thomas de Maiziere.
His comments came after news that German authorities have
arrested dozens of Italian taxi drivers on charges of aiding and
abetting illegal immigration for driving Syrian refugees across
the border into Germany.
The refugees were well-dressed paying customers, and
drivers-for-hire are not obligated to know their clients'
immigration status, a taxi cooperative spokesman said Tuesday.
Meanwhile almost 1,600 migrants, including hundreds of
women and children, were ferried to the port of Reggio Calabria
on a military vessel, authorities said Tuesday.
Hundreds of women and children from Africa and Syria were
among the 1,593 migrants who had arrived in several separate
groups in recent days.
Most of the migrants were to be sent to reception centres
in different parts of Italy via about 30 large buses, with about
200 remaining in Reggio Calabria, according to plan drafted by
the Interior ministry.
All were said to be in good health.
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