European Union Confronts Immigration; Border Control, Development Lead Remedies

Byline: Anupama Narayanswamy, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Each year, thousands of immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa scale fences topped with razor wire or float on rickety rafts in risky and sometimes fatal attempts to reach the European Union.

In an effort to deal with this problem, EU leaders gathered in Hampton Court near London 10 days ago and adopted a two-pronged approach: establish effective border controls and encourage North African countries to develop their economies and train Africans for employment.

"The fight against those who traffic in immigration is a global problem that requires the same unity as the fight against terrorism," said Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, Spain's justice minister, in an e-mail interview.

At the October summit, Spain - one of the EU countries faced with a growing number of illegal immigrants - offered a "global immigration plan" that was endorsed by France. Although EU statistics show illegal immigration to Spain declined in the past year, Spain says it remains a serious cause of concern.

Ceuta-Melilla deaths

"As [Prime Minister] Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said in London, the fact that Spain is closer to the entry gate of immigrants does not mean we're the ones who decide when to open or close the door," Mr. Aguilar said.

The Spanish-Moroccan border incidents in Ceuta and Melilla in September and October, in which Moroccan guards shot more than …

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Publication information: Article title: European Union Confronts Immigration; Border Control, Development Lead Remedies. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Washington Times (Washington, DC). Publication date: November 6, 2005. Page number: A08. © 2009 The Washington Times LLC. COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group.

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