Migrant visas not on the agenda - Alfano

(ANSA) - Brssuels, July 17 - Giving 200,000 migrants humanitarian visas to travel in Europe, as claimed by the Sunday Times, is not on the government's agenda, Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said Monday.
    "We have an overall strategy," the minister said.
    "This is not an issue on our agenda. Besides, the numbers were made (up) by the newspapers and no one in the Italian government ever issued them.
    "We certainly have a strategy, which aims to be effective and needs European cooperation".
    As for renewing the mandate of the migrant-rescuing Operation Sophia, on whcih Italy has voiced reservations, Alfano said: "We will face the questions of the renewal and all those that concern its connection with the Triton rules".
    This discussion, he said, will not take place in today's EU foreign ministers' meeting "but in the proper fora, within the deadline of July 27".