Embargo: new EU naval mission to Libya, far from migrant routes

The European Union reached an agreement on Monday to deploy warships to eastern Libya to prevent arms supplies to that country, on the condition, demanded by several countries, of not leaving this naval operation encourage migrant crossings.

" We were able to reach a unanimous political agreement, which I thought impossible when I arrived ", announced the head of the European diplomacy Josep Borrell after a meeting with the foreign ministers of the EU.

Read also: Europeans try to return to the game in Libya

Warships will be sent to waters east of Libya, far from migrant routes, in late March to monitor compliance with the United Nations embargo on arms deliveries to Libya, a- he explained.

If their presence is found to attract boats carrying migrants, they will be removed from the area, he warned.

This solution made it possible to lift the reluctance of Austria and Italy, commented the Luxembourg Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Asselborn. Unanimity was necessary to launch this new mission.

In 2015, the EU launched a naval operation called Sophia to combat human traffickers and monitor compliance with the UN arms embargo on Libya. But Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz accused him of being " an entry ticket to Europe for thousands of illegal migrants " because of the number of shipwrecked men rescued at sea off the coast of Libya and demanded the end of the mission .

Josep Borrell disputed these “ ideologically tainted ” claims, but stressed the need to reach an agreement acceptable to all countries, including those concerned about the risk of an air intake for illegal immigrants. " It was a very long and very difficult discussion and in the end we found a middle ground, " he said. " The area of ​​action for the new naval mission will not be that of Sophia, which covered all the coasts of Libya. It will be concentrated in the East, where the arms crossings take place, "he said.

" The Sophia mission in the Mediterranean is over, " announced Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg with satisfaction. " Italy has been listened to, " said his Italian counterpart Luigi di Maio.

Read also: Migration: EU extends Operation Sophia, still without its ships

Sophia's mandate had been extended until March 31, 2020, but she was no longer operational at sea since spring 2019 because of Italy's refusal to allow migrants saved at sea to land on its territory for lack of agreement between EU states to support them.

Several points remain to be discussed before launching the new operation. They should be resolved for the next meeting of foreign ministers on March 23, before the end of Sophia, assured Josep Borrell.

One of the delicate points will be the question of sea rescues. " The shipwrecked could be taken care of by the country of the flag of the ship or if not, it will be necessary to use the rotation of the ports for the unloadings ", suggested the Italian Minister.

Several countries have announced that they are ready to engage warships in this new mission. Luxembourg will finance reconnaissance planes, according to Jean Asselborn.

"It won't be a walk"

Josep Borrell acknowledged that the new transaction involves risks. " It will not be a walk, " he warned. It will be necessary to control the ships suspected of engaging in arms trafficking and of routing mercenaries and therefore hire them, he stressed. However, the EU will not be able to control deliveries by air or by road. " It is very difficult to act on the border of two sovereign states ," said Josep Borrell.

The Tripoli government has the declared support of Turkey. The strongman of eastern Libya, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, is notably helped by Russia and Egypt.