US embassy cable - 02ROME3244

UNCLAS ROME 003244 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SMIG, PREL, MOPS, LY, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALY: GROWING CONCERN ABOUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION 
FROM LIBYA 
 
REF: ROME 3069 
 
1. (SBU) FOLLOWING A REPORT BY LIBYAN TV THAT LIBYAN AND 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03244  030828Z 
ITALIAN NAVAL UNITS WERE PERFORMING JOINT EXERCISES IN 
THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA IN EARLY JUNE, POLMIL OFF MET 
JUNE 18 WITH ANTONIO BELLAVIA, THE MFAS DESK OFFICER 
FOR LIBYA AND THE MAGHREB.  BELLAVIA EXPLAINED THAT 
THESE EXERCISES WERE NOT MILITARY IN NATURE, BUT WERE 
DESIGNED TO COMBAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM LIBYA TO 
ITALY.  ACCORDING TO BELLAVIA, THE GOL DOES NOT 
REQUIRE ENTRY VISAS FROM PEOPLE FROM SUB-SAHARAN 
AFRICA.  AS A RESULT, LIBYA, A COUNTRY OF 6 MILLION 
PEOPLE, NOW HAS 1.5 MILLION IMMIGRANTS IN ITS 
TERRITORY (MAINLY FROM SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA AND THE 
MAGHREB COUNTRIES).  THIS HAS CREATED A SERIOUS 
PROBLEM FOR ITALY AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM LIBYA USE 
ITALY AS THEIR ENTRY INTO THE EU.  GIVEN THAT LIBYA 
HAS LONG COASTS AND LITTLE CONTROL OVER THEM, 
EXPLAINED BELLAVIA, ITALIAN NAVAL UNITS ARE HELPING 
LIBYAN NAVAL UNITS COMBAT THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL 
IMMIGRATION AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS LONG AS THIS 
PROBLEM PERSISTS. 
2. (SBU) COMMENT: ITALYS CONCERNS ABOUT ILLEGAL 
IMMIGRATION ARE SURFACING WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY, 
BOTH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM (REF) 
AND AS A RESULT OF DOMESTIC POLITICAL CONCERNS.  END 
COMMENT. 
SEMBLER 
R 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME03244 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED