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EUROPEAN UNION MINISTERS are set to approve plans for an unprecedented naval force to fight people smugglers in the Mediterranean.
The ambitious operation starting in June will involve the deployment of warships and surveillance aircraft off the coast of Libya, the epicentre of the humanitarian disaster unfolding on Europe’s southern shores.
The EU plan also includes the possible destruction of smugglers’ boats before they reach European shores, although that requires a United Nations Security Council resolution backing military action.
Federica Mogherini, the EU diplomatic chief, said approval from the European foreign and defence ministers at a “very intense” meeting in Brussels on Monday would help push the UN into action.
“Today the main point will be taking the decision to establish the EU operation at sea to dismantle the criminal networks that are smuggling people in the Mediterranean,” Mogherini told reporters.
“I think that after we take the decision today it is more likely for the Security Council to take a resolution.”
She has however insisted there is no question of EU “boots on the ground” in Libya, where political chaos and the rising threat of Islamic State militants make it the main launching point for people risking their lives to cross the sea.
5,000 migrants dead
More than 5,000 migrants, many escaping civil war in Syria, have died over the past 18 months while trying to cross from North Africa, often on flimsy rubber dinghies or crowded fishing boats.
Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain have already promised to deploy warships for the mission, a rare joint military venture for the 28-nation European bloc that prefers political and financial gambits.
“The Royal Navy is already saving lives at sea but we need to agree action today to get after the criminal gangs,” British Defence Minister Michael Fallon said as he arrived for the talks.
German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said that while rescue operations at sea would remain the EU’s first priority, it had to tackle the roots of the problem.
“Even if sea rescue operations will stay our top priority, we have to address at the same time the causes, which bring people to venture on this high-risk escape over the sea,” she said.
Rights groups have however criticised the military plan, saying it will not solve the problem of complex smuggling networks and of a huge number of people fleeing war and poverty.
Andrew Stroehlein of Human Rights Watch said it was “utter madness”.
The headquarters of the mission, called EU Navfor Med, is to be in Rome and will be led by Italian Rear Admiral Enrico Credendino, a European diplomat told AFP.
Brussels wants to take the operation step-by-step, starting by collecting intelligence on the traffickers by using radar, satellite pictures and reconnaissance flights and raiding unflagged boats.
If the EU wants ships from its members states to enter Libyan waters or capture a boat flying a foreign flag, it needs the green light from the UN under international law.
Britain, France oppose quotas
The naval operation is part of a wider EU blueprint launched last week which envisaged sharing the migrant burden more evenly among member states and increased cooperation with source countries to help stem the tide of people seeking a better life in Europe.
The largest boat in the Irish Naval Service, the LÉ Eithne, departed for the Mediterranean on Saturday as part of the wider plan. The vessel will not be involved in any desctuction of smuggler boats but will be involved in search and rescue.
Pressure has grown on governments to act after an overcrowded migrant boat sank in the Mediterranean last month, leaving more than 750 dead in a case that sparked international outrage.
But parts of the plan — particularly quotas for distributing asylum seeker arrivals around the EU — are causing deep divisions.
Britain says it will not take part in the quota system and has called for economic migrants to be pushed back to where they came from.
© – AFP 2015 with reporting from Rónán Duffy
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That most traditional Summer pass time of the North.
Orangemen spend sunny day drinking and singing sectarian songs about Fenian blood and then decide to “stiff a taig”.
The herd mentality that takes over Unionism in the summer is a unique frenzy. Even people that would not be sectarian or political can become frothing bigots as they get carried away with the marching season.
What makes you think they were Loyalist?
Johnny I think you’re
a loyal troll.
Presumptive of me, certainly.
North Down has a very active UDA and it is overwhelmingly Unionist.
I think we both know that it is Unionism once again. If my dog does its business on a very regular basis on the patio. I can be forgiven for blaming it when I’m picking it up and not a cat some morning.
The cat pun was not intended.
Why is that Glen?
I would use a pooper scooper in reference to my precious post.
Defo sounds like drunken orange men who thought it would be fun to fire off a few rounds at a Taig.
Clough would be more south Down than north, but yes it is a very loyalist little village. Not supposed to be a nice place for Catholics to live in or visit.
All the people of the north would benefit by banning the orange order. It is after all a hate group.
Clough is neither in North Down, nor is the area UDA dominanted. It is a tiny loyalist village surrounded in nationalist South Down.
Anyone who knows Clough knows exactly who is behind this latest attack. Maybe those who put up the most recent batch of UVF flags in the area would have some information useful to the PSNI.
I don’t know Clough. Who was behind the attack?
The local UVF. Must be wonderful to be a Catholic up North this time of year. Why are these hate marches tolerated any longer? They banned the KKK in the States years ago from displaying naked bigotry. Same should be done here. If this is what they consider culture, they would be better simply not to have any.
That’s not culture Jamie? Hatred is not culture!! The plug needs to be pulled on these loons. And the BBC and UTV need to cop themselves on. 2014 and still showing these facist parades on tv!! A total and utter disgrace.
I love watching the coverage on UTV of the Glorious 12th, as they cover family fun day outs across the Province, portraying lovely images of old men sitting in fields eating sandwiches and kids running around eating ice cream. Meanwhile the firebrand up on stage talks about never sharing their wee country with terrorists and how their loyalty should be respected etc etc etc.
UVF aresho•es
A Black Hole.
Normally it would state if it was a loyalist or republican who were targeted.
So I’ll go for a eastern European or Muslim just a guess mind.
I’m wondering what happens if the Orange Order come to the attention of a radical islamist group for their targeting of muslims. What would the rest of the norths factions do ? Put the feet up and just let them work away?
It’s only sectarian when a republican group does it….it’s a plain ould crime when a loyalist/fg group does it
The word sectarian means catholic vs Protestant on this island. If a Muslim etc were involved it would be racist.
True Story
Ban the Orange Order. Consign marching season and all the trouble it brings forever.
The well worth a visit Clogh castle! A real dump.
http://extramuralactivity.files.wordpress.com/2006/07/2006-08-16-cloughcastle1.jpg
Charming. Vandalism and bigotry. You’d nearly feel sorry for them.
One sided news as usual.On the British Loyalist side of course:The attack was made by UVF/UDA so it was sectarian.Had it been the Republican side the attack would have been murder.
PSNI:RUC.
Two parked cars were shot up big bleeding deal who cares
They owners of the vehicles? Any other Catholics in that village, or indeed in any loyalist area over the coming weeks?
have your say