Rome-Tirana migrant deal a model says VDL

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 13 - Rome's deal with Tirana to set up two Italian-run migrant centres to process up to 36,000 migrant a year in Albania is a model of thinking outside the box to solve migration issues, European Commission Presidernt Ursula von der Leyen said in a letter on the topic to the EU member States, sources said ahead of this week's EU summit on Wednesday.
    According to EU sources, in the letter sent by von der Leyen to the 27 on the state of play on migration - as is the practice before summits - the agreement between Italy and Albania is described as "a model" to look at.
    "We have also seen important initiatives promoted by Member States, such as the operational agreement between Italy and Albania," the letter says, according to the sources.
    "This is an example of thinking outside the box, based on a fair sharing of responsibilities with third countries in line with obligations under EU and international law," von der Leyen reportedly says. (ANSA).