EU does not believe in walls, bans: Mogherini

The European Union's (EU) way to deal with immigration is cooperation and partnership, not walls and bans, EU Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini told the press ahead of an informal summit on Friday.

Mogherini said EU leaders would show cooperation and partnership as a European approach to solve the migration issue, which is different from the American way, Xinhua news agency reported.

"For sure, Europeans differ when it comes to a certain approach, for instance to migration, and I think today we will show our way is cooperation and partnership," she said.

"We do not believe in walls or bans," she added.

Mogherini said EU leaders would agree at the summit on a package of measures that would help the EU manage immigration flows better and save lives, in partnership with United Nations agencies in Libya.

The Malta summit is an occasion for the EU leaders to discuss the bloc's future following the June 23 Brexit referendum and the first gathering of the EU leaders after Trump became the US President.

In the morning session of the summit, the 28 leaders, including British Prime Minister Theresa May, will address the migration crisis amid warnings of more people trying to reach Europe through the dangerous Central Mediterranean route from Libya.

The afternoon session will be an occasion for the leaders without May to prepare for the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaties, which falls on March 25.

--IANS

qd/vt