Spain Urges Morocco's Cooperation in Reducing Immigrants
MADRID, Aug 21 (News Agencies) - The Spanish foreign minister has expressed his concern over a wave of illegal immigrants arriving from Africa, calling this weekend's record influx "unacceptable", news agencies reported Tuesday.
In an interview carried by Spain's Europa Press agency, Josep Pique said the Spanish government had summoned the Moroccan ambassador to discuss the problem, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"The events of recent days are unacceptable," said Pique, referring to the arrival of more than 800 illegal immigrants on Spanish shores over the weekend.
Pique urged Morocco to engage in stricter policing and to "make a firm commitment" in tackling the problem.
A foreign ministry official stressed that Pique was expressing concern rather than making a formal protest, and was offering Spain's help in dealing with the refugee problem.
The Moroccan ambassador, Baraka Abdeslam, was asked to come to the foreign ministry on Wednesday to meet the director general of the ministry's Africa and Middle East department, the official said. But the meeting between Picque and Abdeslam was not scheduled yet said the official.
"It would not be a protest but rather an attempt to encourage authorities in Morocco to do something with us to tackle this dramatic situation," the spokesman said.
Picque told Europa Press that Spain is ready to offer training and technological support to Moroccan authorities to aid them enhance efforts to curb the flow of illegal immigrants.
In January, Spain introduced a tough immigration law in a bid to deter people from entering the country without a visa.
Spain is a major European entry point for illegal immigrants from Morocco and other North and sub-Saharan Africa countries.
Last year, about 15,000 African immigrants tried to enter Spain - four times as many as in 1999. Many of them crossed the Straits of Gibraltar at night in small boats to avoid detection.
Each year, scores are believed to drown in the narrow stretch of water dividing Spain from Morocco.
Since the beginning of this year, Spanish authorities have detained some 8,500 illegal immigrants. This is double the figure for the same period last year, the newspaper
El Pais reported Monday.
