AFP BRUSSELS: The EU’s foreign policy chief held “constructive” talks Wednesday with Libya’s foreign minister, focused on a European naval force that would fight people smuggling gangs organising Mediterranean migrant crossings but so far opposed by Tripoli. Libya’s ambassador to the United Nations said Tuesday that his government is refusing to give consent for UN action aimed at endorsing the plan because European governments had discussed it with Libyan militias that control coastal territory.
“The meeting... took place in the context of the preparations of the maritime operation EUNAVFOR MED, which will focus on dismantling the business model of those involved in human smuggling,” a statement said, using an acronym for the planned force.
Federica Mogherini met with Libya’s Mohamed al-Dayri along with Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni and Britain’s Philip Hammond in Brussels. The force’s command centre would be Italy-based, while Britain is drafting
the UN resolution giving the force its legal framework. The scheme, backed by foreign and defence ministers in Brussels, will involve European war ships and surveillance aircraft gathering intelligence and then raiding boats to crack down on people smugglers.