Italy considers closing its ports to ships from Libya

[ValerioAurelius]

Gentiloni government reportedly seeking EU approval of drastic changes to asylum procedures after surge in refugee arrivals. And i support that.

After leftist and socialist parties lost massive at the recent elections in italy and even classical socialist areas got won by Lega Nord and Forza Italia the center left government reacts panic.

Gentiloni informed the EU to set an ultimatum. If non solution is found Italy will not allow Libyan refugees on its shores any longer.

PM Gentiloni said there is no reason why those ships must land on Italian land. Marseille is a way better destination.

https://www.thelocal.it/20170629/eu-urges-italy-not-to-close-ports-and-offers-more-funds

It will be interesting now. Mr. Macron always claims he supports "human rights". He will get the chance to prove his words soon.

That the Eu representative said that the NGO ships will need some days to react to the changing situation means that we will see our harbors locked down and alternative destinations like Marseille open.

@Vergennes

 

[Thəorətic Muslim]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-meeting-idUSTRE7445G020110505

Anti-Gaddafi countries pledge millions to rebels

By Silvia Aloisi and John Irish | ROME

Western and Arab countries opposed to Muammar Gaddafi pledged to unlock hundreds of millions of dollars to help Libya's rebels Thursday as they tried to step up the pressure to drive him from power.

NATO planes have bombed Gaddafi's forces since March but the ill-equipped and disorganized rebels have struggled to exploit this and break out of their stronghold in eastern Libya.

Ministers from an anti-Gaddafi coalition called the Libya contact group, including the United States, France, Britain and Italy, as well as Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan, agreed in Rome to set up a fund to help the rebels, who are desperately short of cash.

The rebel Transitional National Council, based in the eastern city of Benghazi, says it needs $2 billion to $3 billion in immediate aid. A spokesman said the rebels only had funds to pay for basic needs until the end of May.

Qatari Prime Minister Hammad bin Jassim al-Thani said his country pledged $400 million to $500 million to a so-called Temporary Financial Mechanism. Kuwait promised $180 million.

However, others were more cautious about putting a figure on how much they might provide and Britain said it had already contributed enough.

"The temporary financial mechanism is well defined now and will be operation in the next few weeks," French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told reporters. He said Paris was still evaluating its contribution.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington would try to pass legislation to unblock billions of dollars in Libyan assets for the rebels.

Washington has frozen about $30 billion in assets owned by Muammar Gaddafi's government but there are legal obstacles to accessing them. Because of U.N. sanctions, the rebels are unable to sell oil abroad.

"It's a good start," said Mahmoud Jabril, head of the rebels' interim government.

The Rome meeting discussed ways to stop Gaddafi from exporting crude oil or importing refined petroleum as the coalition searched for ways to isolate the Tripoli government from world markets.

"The regime must not be allowed any access to oil and gas revenues to support actions against the Libyan people," a final statement said.

INCREASE PRESSURE

In its concluding statement, the contact group said time was running out for Gaddafi's government and it was increasingly isolated diplomatically. It called on the international community not to receive his envoys.

There was little optimism for any quick settlement of the conflict, almost two months after French warplanes carried out the first air strikes.

"These things clearly take time but the resolve is there and the resolve was very clearly there in the meeting today," said British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who called for military action to be stepped up.

However, he ruled out arming the rebels directly and NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that there was no question of sending in ground troops.

"NATO has no intention of putting boots on the ground. It is for the opposition to do the fighting on the ground," he said.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini denied the situation in Libya had stalled, but with no military breakthrough in sight, attention has switched to seeking ways of cutting Gaddafi's financial lifelines.

The coalition promised to cut off arms imports and mercenaries to the government side and block Libyan satellite television.

(Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Adrian Croft in London)

(Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Barry Moody and Andrew Dobbie)

 

[Vergennes]

Gentiloni government reportedly seeking EU approval of drastic changes to asylum procedures after surge in refugee arrivals. And i support that.

After leftist and socialist parties lost massive at the recent elections in italy and even classical socialist areas got won by Lega Nord and Forza Italia the center left government reacts panic.

Gentiloni informed the EU to set an ultimatum. If non solution is found Italy will not allow Libyan refugees on its shores any longer.

PM Gentiloni said there is no reason why those ships must land on Italian land. Marseille is a way better destination.

https://www.thelocal.it/20170629/eu-urges-italy-not-to-close-ports-and-offers-more-funds

It will be interesting now. Mr. Macron always claims he supports "human rights". He will get the chance to prove his words soon.

That the Eu representative said that the NGO ships will need some days to react to the changing situation means that we will see our harbors locked down and alternative destinations like Marseille open.

@Vergennes

No,they will continue to land them in Italy amigo. Authorities from southern France are never going to agree with this. Nor the Home Minister.

 

[ValerioAurelius]

No,they will continue to land them in Italy amigo. Authorities from southern France are never going to agree with this. Nor the Home Minister.

We close our harbors. What happenes then is your problem and not ours. Your authorities have no authority over italian harbours. You are free to block them away as well but thats your option then and not ours. Send them to spain or Portugal. Who cares.

 

[Vergennes]

We close our harbors. What happenes then is your problem and not ours. Your authorities have no authority over italian harbours. You are free to block them away as well but thats your option then and not ours. Send them to spain or Portugal. Who cares.

You close nothing yet.

 

[ValerioAurelius]

You close nothing yet.

We give an ultimatum. You eitehr take them in or our harbors close. Its that easy.

Whats your problem Vergennes? Why do you actually hate Italy so much? It looks like you have issues with us.

 

[Vergennes]

We give an ultimatum. You eitehr take them in or our harbors close. Its that easy.

Whats your problem Vergennes? Why do you actually hate Italy so much? It looks like you have issues with us.

The article you posted only states foreign NGO ships,which land migrants they rescue on Italian ports,it doesn't state the Italian navy or coastguards who will continue to rescue people and land them on Italian soil.

Where did I show any hostility towards Italy ? It was you that were openly showing hostility and literally insulting us few months ago.

 

[ValerioAurelius]

The article you posted only states foreign NGO ships,which land migrants they rescue on Italian ports,it doesn't state the Italian navy or coastguards who will continue to rescue people and land them on Italian soil.

Where did I show any hostility towards Italy ? It was you that were openly showing hostility and literally insulting us few months ago.

Our coast guard ships retreated. Over 80% of them are brought in by NGO.

It is MAcron who demands "human rights". Italy did what it could Now is your turn. Europe is not just a party zone where France can take all the money and let others carry the burden. Now is your turn. We have 200.000 places in the camps. They are almost full. Full means full. Now you are next to do what is needed.

 

[Vergennes]

Our coast guard ships retreated. Over 80% of them are brought in by NGO

Source ?

It is MAcron who demands "human rights". Italy did what it could Now is your turn. Europe is not just a party zone where France can take all the money and let others carry the burden. Now is your turn. We have 200.000 places in the camps. They are almost full. Full means full. Now you are next to do what is needed.

Which money are you actually talking about ?

Also,it's not France's role to rescue people off Libyan coasts nor rescuing them in your waters.

 

[ValerioAurelius]

Source ?



Which money are you actually talking about ?

Also,it's not France's role to rescue people off Libyan coasts nor rescuing them in your waters.

https://theintercept.com/2017/04/01...bya-where-thousands-of-refugees-have-drowned/

Our coast guard left libyan waters. It is not our waters. They are brought from NGO direct from libyan coast. Actually not even 2% make it in our waters. So far all land in Sicily and this will end now this way or another. Our camps are full. Its now the duty of all of EU to find a solution or get the problem.

Whats good for Sicily is also good for Marseille or Corsica.