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No need for heavy-handed approach on migration: Maltese PM

Xinhua, February 1, 2017 Adjust font size:

Malta Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Wednesday that there was no need for a heavy-handed approach when it came to tackling migration in the central Mediterranean.

Malta has made migration one of its main priorities during its six-month tenure of the European Union Presidency.

Speaking after a bilateral meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Soldberg, Muscat said migration was both a security and humane issue.

Muscat spoke of the need to take a rational approach when seeking solutions to the migration problem.

Tackling the security issues linked to migration could be done in a rational and sensible manner, he said.

Muscat again spoke of the need to engage with Libya on the migration crisis.

He said Libya needed help in managing its own borders, and the current "weak administration", and there was no excuse not to enter into discussions with the country.

Muscat said that it was not an issue of pushing migrants back to their country of departure.

Malta was heavily criticized in 2013 for threatening to push back African migrants to Libya.

Muscat said work was being done on putting together a declaration on the migration issue during the upcoming informal EU summit scheduled for Friday in Malta. Endit