(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) 
Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and his visiting Spanish counterpart Jose Luis Zapatero yesterday called for the creation of a common European Union coast guard to curb illegal immigration but stressed that the EU should not become a fortress against would-be migrants. “Dealing with illegal immigration is not an issue that concerns only the coastal member-states of the European Union, given that illegal migrants can move freely throughout the EU,” Karamanlis pointed out, while outlining a drive to create a European system for monitoring borders and a European patrol network. Furthermore, the two leaders agreed that a very effective way to minimize immigration flows is to increase aid towards migrants’ countries of origin in order to boost development. Other issues on the agenda included the creation of a Mediterranean Union, climate change, rising prices in Europe, renewable energy issues and bilateral economic relations. Kathimerini daily: Spain and Greece unite on migrants; Athens News Agency: Karamanlis, Zapatero discuss migration, energy issues; Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Bilateral Relations Greece-Spain
Filed under: Economy, Energy, Enviromental Protection, Government, Greece, Immigration, International Relations | Tagged: Athens News Agency, borders, Climate change, EU, Europe, European, European Union, illegal, Immigration, José, Karamanlis, Kathimerini, Kostas, Luis, Mediterranean, monitoring, Network, patrol, rising prices, Union, Zapatero |
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