The Gulf Time Newspaper One of the finest business newspapers in the UAE brought to you by our professional writers and editors.
Rome / AP
Libya’s Vice President Ahmed Maetig has expressed hope that the European Union will enter into an agreement with his country similar to that between the EU and Turkey restricting the flow of migrants to Europe.
Maetig made the appeal while in Rome meeting with Italy’s Interior Minister Angelino Alfano. “The vice president has asked that we proceed with an agreement between the European Union and Libya based on the one between the European Union and Turkey,” a statement by Alfano read, without giving further details.
According to the March 18 agreement, Turkey agreed to take back all migrants arriving in the Greek islands, in an effort to relieve the pressure on the European Union that saw one million migrant arrivals since early 2015.
In return Europe promised to resettle one Syrian refugee for every Syrian taken back by Turkey, to grant visa-free travel to Turks within the border-free Schengen zone and to reassess Turkey’s stalled EU membership bid.
Maetig “thanked Italy for aiding the Libyan people, and expressed hopes that Italy would continue to play a key role in the national reconciliation process towards the construction of a united and democratic Libya,” the statement said.