German Chancellor Angela Markel
said Tuesday that she and French President Emmanuel Macron
understood the Italian government's demands for greater
assistance from its European partners in dealing with the flow
of asylum seekers from North Africa.
"We conceive migration as a common challenge," Merkel told a
news conference after meeting Macron in Meseberg.
"Our object remains a European response.
"We want to avert Europe dividing. We support the
Commission's proposal and the reinforcement of (EU border
agency) Frontex.
"We understand Italy's evaluations on migration".
Macron also said that a European response was needed when
asked about the case of NGO-run migrant-rescue ship Aquarius,
which docked in Spain at the weekend after Italy denied it
access to its ports.
Macron said that he had guaranteed more cooperation to
Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, whom he met last week.
"We'll react in a coordinated way," he said.
"We cannot respond in an efficient way without coordination".
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