FRONTEX official discusses illegal immigration in Cyprus

FRONTEX has been in touch with the Turkish authorities in terms of the practical cooperation of the border control since 2006, however has not as yet been able to sign a working arrangement with Turkey on the matter, Executive Director of FRONTEX Ilkka Laitinen has said.

Laitinen who is currently paying an official visit to Cyprus accompanied by associates, to discuss illegal immigration and measures to tackle the problem, met Wednesday with the Head of the Aliens and Immigration Department Doros Achileos.

The Cypriot authorities have repeatedly said that most of the illegal immigrants arrive in the government-controlled areas from the northern occupied part of the country, where the legal government of the Republic is prevented from exercising its jurisdiction as a result of the continuing massive presence of the Turkish military, which invaded Cyprus in 1974.

After the meeting, Laitinen said ''we have been in touch with the Turkish authorities generally, in terms of the practical cooperation of the border control since 2006 already''.

Recently, he added, we have received some positive feed back from them but for the time being we have not been able to sign a working arrangement with Turkey on the practical cooperation on the border control.

FRONTEX is the European agency for the management of operational cooperation at the external borders of the EU member states.

Cyprus joined the EU in May 2004. It seeks EU assistance to deal with illegal immigration.