US backs NATO naval patrol in Mediterranean to close refugee route
(VOVworld) – The US offered its backing for a NATO naval operation off the Libyan coast in support of an Italian plan to close the Western Mediterranean refugee route to Europe. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told reporters after meeting with leaders from the US, Britain, France, and Germany in Hanover, Germany, that President Barack Obama said he was willing to support NATO operations to block the migrant influx from Libya to Italy. US officials also confirmed that Washington was fully on board.
 |
| Illegal migrant ship from Libya (Photo: Reuters) |
According to the White House, Obama and the leaders of the 4 other countries expected to design an action plan on the basis of lessons that Europe has drawn following the shutdown of other refugee routes. NATO is trying to prevent boats carrying refugees from Turkey to Greece. The leaders called on NATO and EU to use their experiences from current Aegean Sea operations in a future humanitarian Mediterranean plan.