EU approves naval mission against migrant smugglers

Brussels, May 19 (IANS/EFE) Foreign and defence ministers from the European Union (EU) gave the green light on Monday to begin a naval mission to combat organised migrant trafficking crimes across the Mediterranean.

"Decision just taken to establish the EU naval operation to disrupt the business model of smugglers and traffickers networks in Mediterranean," Federica Mogherini, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, published on her official Twitter account.

According to the document approved by the ministers, they will lead a crisis management military operation against crime rings based on identifying, capturing and confiscating their vessels.

Initially, the mission is expected to exchange information and lead offshore patrols to detect illegal migration networks.

The operation will then involve monitoring flags in the Mediterranean, and later take all necessary measures against vessels and assets; scrapping ships or rendering them inoperative in the territory of the concerned coastal state.

--IANS/EFE

vr/