Greece seeks cooperation with Libya to stop migration, PM says
Greece said it would deploy two frigates and one more vessel off Libya's territorial waters to deter migrants from reaching its southern islands Mitsotakis said authorities in Libya should cooperate with Greece to stop migrantsBRUSSELS: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday that Libya should cooperate with Greece and Europe to help halt a surge in migration flows from the north African state.Seaborne arrivals of migrants in Europe from the north of Africa, including war-torn Sudan, and the Middle East have spiked in recent months.Greece said on Monday it would deploy two frigates and one more vessel off Libya's territorial waters to deter migrants from reaching its southern islands of Crete and Gavdos.'I will inform my colleagues about the significant increase in the number of people from eastern Libya and ask for the support of the European Commission so that the issue can be addressed immediately,' Mitsotakis said ahead of an European Union summit in Brussels that began on Thursday.Mitsotakis said authorities in Libya should cooperate with Greece to stop migrants sailing from there or turn them back before they exit Libyan territorial waters.He added that the EU's migration commissioner and ministers from Italy, Greece and Malta would travel to Libya early in July to discuss the issue.Law and order has been weak in Libya since a 2011 uprising that toppled dictator Muammar Qaddafi, with the country divided by factional conflict into eastern and western sections for over a decade.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Eel-eating Japan Opposes EU Call for More Protection
Japan's agriculture minister said Friday the country would oppose any call by the European Union to add eels to an endangered species list that would limit trade in them. Eel is eaten worldwide but is particularly popular in Japan, where it is called "unagi" and traditionally served grilled after being covered in a sticky-sweet sauce. Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters that the country carefully manages stock levels of the Japanese eel in cooperation with neighboring China, Taiwan and South Korea. "There is a sufficient population, and it faces no extinction risk due to international trade," AFP quoted him as saying. Japanese media have reported that the EU could soon propose that all eel species be added to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) which limits trade of protected animals. There are 19 species and subspecies of eel, many of them now threatened due to a range of factors including pollution and overfishing. In 2014, the Japanese eel was listed as endangered, but not critically endangered, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which cited factors including habitat loss, overfishing, pollution and migration barriers. Protecting the animal is complicated by their complex life cycle, which unfolds over a vast area, and the many unknowns about how they reproduce.
Arab News
14 hours ago
- Arab News
Israel's aggression against Iran and the end of its impunity
While the Islamic Republic of Iran had chosen the path of indirect negotiations with the US, on the eve of the sixth round, on June 13, 2025, it faced an illegal armed attack by the Israeli regime. Iran had been prepared to reach an agreement within the framework of its commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and the legitimate right to a peaceful nuclear program. In response to Israel's unlawful act of aggression, Iran exercised its inherent and lawful right to self-defense as stipulated in Article 51 of the UN Charter. Let us not forget that even amidst the 'imposed war' by the Israeli regime, Iran remained steadfastly committed to the path of diplomacy. Also, at the very moment when Iran's foreign minister was engaged in negotiations in Geneva with the European Troika and the EU high representative for foreign affairs, and consulting with regional states in Istanbul, the nation fell victim to military strike by the US. This was a blatant betrayal of diplomacy and a grave threat to regional and global security. 'The Israeli regime's attack was not just against Iran, it was a calculated and deliberate strike against regional stability, integrity, progress and development.' The targeting of Iran's fully transparent and safeguarded nuclear facilities, subject to the UN's monitoring and verification — by a rogue regime that flouts international law, evades Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations, and hides its nuclear arsenal — reveals the hypocrisy of the so-called rules-based order. The Israeli regime, as an illegal occupying entity, has consistently violated international law through prolonged occupation, genocide, and illegitimate aggression against Iran. These acts aim to destabilize the region, halt its progress and prosperity, and impose its bullying agenda. But the era of impunity has come to an end. Iran has always made its position clear that it has never ignited war in the region, nor will it ever do so. We have long warned that Israel threatens regional security, with dire implications for the entire region. The Israeli regime's aggression was not just against Iran, it was a calculated and deliberate strike against regional stability, integrity, progress, and development. It is aimed at forcibly reshaping the region according to its destructive agenda. In the face of the Israeli attack, Iran deeply appreciates the principled positions and valuable solidarity of neighboring countries, especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. They have, in these critical times, stood in unity and solidarity alongside Iran, firmly condemning the hostile act against Iran. The great nation of Iran will never forget the full support of the Kingdom, under the special directive of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to provide Iranian pilgrims with comprehensive services, and to help facilitate their safe return home. The wise positions of regional countries during Israel's aggression against Iran demonstrate their collective wisdom. They have shown their responsibility to safeguard the region against the Israeli threat, which is the primary disruptor of its peace, stability, and security. At this critical juncture, the region is in greater need than ever to foster cooperation and ensure shared stability. Iran continues to extend its hand of friendship to neighboring states. A fundamental pillar of Iran's foreign policy is the principle of good neighborly relations and regional cooperation. • Ali Reza Enayati is the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Al Arabiya
18 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
5 Greek Government Officials Resign Over EU Farming Subsidy Fraud Allegations
Five high-ranking Greek government officials, including a minister and three deputy ministers, resigned Friday following allegations of involvement in corruption over the mismanagement of European Union farming subsidies. The case stems from the alleged mismanagement of EU subsidies for agriculture between 2019 and 2022 by a government agency known by its Greek acronym OPEKEPE, tasked with handling the funds. According to the European Public Prosecutor's Office, a significant number of individuals received subsidies through the agency based on false declarations, including claims of owning or leasing pastures that were in fact public land. The suspects continued submitting false declarations of livestock until 2024, maintaining subsidy payment entitlement, it added. The prosecutor's office sent a hefty case file to Greece's parliament earlier this week, including allegations of the possible involvement of government ministers in an organized fraud scheme. Members of parliament enjoy immunity from prosecution in Greece that can only be lifted by parliamentary vote. In a resignation letter to the prime minister Friday, Migration and Asylum Minister Makis Voridis maintained his innocence, saying he was stepping down in order to concentrate on clearing his name. Voridis served as agriculture minister from mid-2019 to early 2021. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis accepted his resignation as well as those of the deputy ministers of foreign affairs, agriculture and food, and digital governance and of the general secretary of agriculture and food. Replacements for all five will be named in the coming days, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said in a statement. The European Commission announced earlier this month it would reduce the amount of farm subsidies for Greece by five percent, for a total of 392 million euros.
