EU interior ministers discuss Syria, Lampedusa tragedy

EU interior ministers meeting in Luxembourg Tuesday are to discuss the issue of Syrian refuges and last weeks migrants boat tragedy off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa. "Syria is a point on the agenda too, the situation there is very severe. We will discuss what we can do, also asking all member states to engage in resettlement operations to show European solidarity," EU Commissioner for home affairs Cecilia Malmstorm told reporters ahead of the meeting. "We are going to discuss the topic of Lampedusa, the ministers will tell me their immediate needs. I am going to propose to the Member States to organise a big Frontex operation covering the whole Mediterranean, from Cyprus to Spain, for a big save rescue operation in the Mediterranean, and I am going to ask for the necessary support and resources to do that," she added. On his part, German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said "I will ask in bilateral conversations once again for a Syrian refugee conference." "I think we also have to deal with how we can improve the situation in the Lebanon especially for the good of the Syrian refugees," he noted. Alfonsas Barakauskas, Minister of the Interior of Lithuania whose country holds the current EU Presidency, said "this afternoon, the Home Affairs Council will have a number of important topics to discuss, we have the tragedy of Lampedusa." "We are also very concerned about Syria as a human tragedy, we will discuss how we can better help and we are looking forward to the Commission presenting its regional assistance programme," he added.