Page 8 - aruba-today-20190706

A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 6 July 2019
Merkel seeks to reassure Western Balkan nations of EU future

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA gotiations could potentially
CZAREK SOKOLOWSKI open, she said.
Associated Press Standing alongside Merkel,
POZNAN, Poland (AP) — the prime ministers of Bul-
German Chancellor An- garia and of North Mace-
gela Merkel sought Friday donia, Boyko Borissov and
to reassure Western Balkan Zoran Zaev, argued that
nations aspiring to join the the Western Balkans are
European Union that there part of Europe and are sur-
is strong support for the pro- rounded by EU nations and
cess in the EU, saying that so rightly belong in the club.
the bloc sees their integra- The Western Balkans na-
tion to be in its strategic in- tions are seeking EU reassur-
terest. ances after some leaders in
Merkel, along with British the 28-member bloc have
Prime Minister Theresa May spoken against further en-
and EU foreign policy chief largement of the bloc, cit-
Federica Mogherini, joined ing the EU's own integration
a high-level meeting in issues.
Poznan, Poland, between No time frame for their ac-
leaders from the Western cession has been set, even
Balkans and from some EU German Chancellor Angela Merkel,right, and Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki during though individual applica-
countries that aimed to a summit meeting that aims to reassure Western Balkan states that their aspirations to join the Eu- tions were filed 10 years
show that the integration ropean Union have backing among EU leaders, in Poznan, Poland, Friday, July 5, 2019. ago and more.
process remains robust, Associated Press The latest EU strategy for the
despite an apparent slow- region suggests member-
down. ence that concluded the North Macedonia's "cour- to start EU accession nego- ship for Montenegro and
The EU membership candi- meeting, Merkel stressed age" in trying to overcome tiations. Serbia by 2025, but says
dates are Montenegro, Ser- that it is the EU's "strategic divisive issues with its neigh- "That was a huge step. We that goal is "extremely am-
bia, North Macedonia and interest" to integrate West- bors, especially a dispute waited for years for this step bitious." There are worries
Albania, while Bosnia and ern Balkans, which border over its official name with and we are very relieved," that the EU's procrastina-
Kosovo are potential can- the 28-member club on al- Greece that was resolved Merkel said. tion may leave the region
didates. most all sides. this year, thus paving the "I look optimistically toward open for Russia, Turkey and
Speaking at a news confer- She especially praised way for North Macedonia the autumn," when the ne- China to gain influence.q

NGO ship with migrants barred from docking in Italy

Associated Press al decree is illegitimate be-
ROME (AP) — An Italian hu- cause it can't be applied to
manitarian group whose a ship carrying people res-
boat has been barred from cued at sea, and because
docking in Lampedusa Italy can't ban an Italian-
said it is waiting for about flagged ship from entering
40 migrants still onboard its waters.
to be transferred to Malta Meanwhile, German hu-
on military patrols, a move manitarian group Sea-Eye
that could possibly avert said one of its rescue ships
another standoff with Italy's has picked up 65 people
populist government. who were found in a large
Mediterranea Saving Hu- dinghy about 34 miles (55
mans said Friday in a tweet kilometers) off Libya's coast.
that its sailing boat ALEX Sea-Eye said on its Face-
was just outside Italian ter- book page that the crew
ritorial waters, just off the of the Alan Kurdi brought
southernmost island of the African migrants on
Lampedusa, and that it has board their vessel early Fri-
been banned from enter- day. It added that Libyan
ing Italian jurisdiction by authorities failed to re-
ministerial decree. spond to communication
However, due to their frag- Migrants rest on a Mediterranea Saving Humans NGO boat, as they sail off Italy's southernmost for more than three hours.
ile health, 13 migrants were island of Lampedusa, just outside Italian territorial waters, on Thursday, July 4, 2019. It was unclear whether the
taken off disembarked by Associated Press Alan Kurdi will try to dock in
an Italian coast guard boat Italy too.
and taken to Lampedusa. Given the condition of tion of the migrants that it Malta. The deal appears Italian Interior Minister Mat-
Three pregnant women those on board, the NGO couldn't make the trip to aimed at avoiding what teo Salvini said Friday that
were given ultrasounds be- had requested that the the Mediterranean island would be the 21st stand- none of the rescued mi-
fore being allowed off the migrants, rescued from a of Malta itself. off between Italy's populist grants will arrive in Italy.
boat. Four children and rubber dinghy Thursday off Malta said Thursday that it government and humani- Referring to the Alan Kurdi
one unaccompanied mi- Libya, be transferred to Ital- will take the migrants in a tarian groups rescuing mi- ship, he said "the German
nor were part of the group ian or Maltese patrol boats. deal with Italy to take an grants at sea. NGO can choose between
allowed to disembark. It said in light of the condi- equal number already in The NGO said the ministeri- Tunisia and Germany."q