Italy and France have sent a letter to the European Union, asking for a revision of
the Schengen border treaty that permits passport-free travel through Europe – a move
they announced a a joint press conference following a meeting in Rome on Tuesday.
The request comes as the two countries work to manage the massive influx of North
African migrants, most of whom are Tunisians taking advantage of a breakdown in border
policing at home in order to reach European shores. In their letter to the EU, the
two leaders called for a strengthening of the Union’s border control aency, Frontex,
and said the revision must include the “possibility of re-establishing temporary internal
border controls in case of exceptional difficulties.”
Sarkozy told reporters,
“We want Schengen to survive – but in order to survive, Schengen must be reformed.”
Italy’s Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi discussed a number of international developments
during his remarks, including Italy’s increased involvement in the NATO operation
in Libya. Berlusconi explained that the decision will involve Italian aircraft in
the conduct of airstrikes on selected military targets, with a view to protecting
civilian populations.
Both Italy and France want the Libyan oppositionTransitional
National Council to gain access to frozen Libyan assets as well as to revenue from
Libyan oil sales. Italy is to host a May 5 meeting on NATO's Libya campaign in Rome
to discuss increasing diplomatic and economic pressure on Gadhafi as well as providing
additional support to the opposition.
On the question of Syria, both Berlusconi
and Sarkozy expressed concerns over the government's crackdown on demonstrators, though
they were reticent about the feasibility of achieving international consensus over
military intervention there.