Southern EU nations urge for a new migration and asylum deal and beefed-up surveillance

By KEVIN SCHEMBRI ORLAND
Associated Press

VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — Leaders of nine southern European countries are calling for the EU to finalize a new migration and asylum deal. At the end of a one-day summit in Malta, they called on Friday for the European Union to beef up efforts to prevent departures from North Africa. A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting in Malta said the needs of front-line countries — such as Italy — that receive the vast majority of migrants, must be “adequately met.” The one-day huddle included host Malta, as well as Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. It came as another shipwreck drama unfolded off Libya’s coast.