European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has written to Premier Matteo Renzi to voice his appreciation for Italy's proposal for a migration compact for a new approach with dealing with asylum seekers, Corriere della Sera's online edition reported Thursday. "Dear Prime Minister, dear Matteo... I welcome with great favour your initiative that confirms the need for a European approach to the European issue of migration, the same (position) that I have supported since the start of my mandate," Juncker wrote.
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Thursday that Italy's proposal for a new migration compact was the right way for the European Union to go. "We presented a plan with an comprehensive approach and we think that it's the right road," said Alfano ahead of a meeting of EU interior ministers. "Today we'll discuss this and present our achievements and our aims". He added that the letter Jean-Claude Juncker sent to Premier Matteo Renzi welcoming the proposal showed it was valid. "It's proof that we are on the right road because we tackle both the issue of Africa and of how Italy must manage the refugees," he said. "I think it's an Italian success that will be consolidated at the next summit of (EU) heads of state and government". He added that Rome was not attached to the idea it has mooted of issuing eurobonds to raise money for tackling the migrant crisis. "The eurobond issue is overrated," Alfano said. "They are our proposal to find the money to finance the plan. If we get this money directly from Europe or from another road proposed by someone else, that's fine with us".
Alfano also said Thursday that the European Union's deal with Turkey to ease the asylum seeker crisis should be repeated with Libya once the national unity government there has taken a full grip on power. "I think that it was right to reach this agreement (with Turkey)," Alfano said on his way into a meeting of EU interior ministers in Luxembourg. "I think the model of the agreement could be replicated in Libya when the conditions are right".
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