Let us hope that Foreign Minister Michael Frendo’s plea for help from the EU in dealing with illegal immigration will not fall on deaf ears.

This newspaper has been stating for some time that Malta cannot hope to deal with an annual summer influx of illegal immigrants, nor should it have to. The burden should be shared. Burden-sharing is one of the fundamental pillars of the EU’s framework, as is solidarity.

Dr Frendo presented a 17 point document to all EU ambassadors on Tuesday and made the following case: Malta needs help in dealing with the situation. He pointed out that the arrival of 3,000 illegal immigrants in Malta was equivalent to 420,000 arriving in a place such as Italy, and it is true.

Many might argue that the source of the problem is tackling poverty and oppression in continents such as Africa – also true. But there is no quick fix to that problem. It is a problem that will take decades, if not more, to rectify and there is a need for more goodwill on the part of the “big” nations.

In the meantime, we have to consider the following two scenarios. Do we opt for setting up an immigration centre in Europe? Or do we opt for preventing illegal immigration into Europe by the better policing of our waters?

That is a key strategic decision which needs much debate before any conclusions are reached. In the meantime, Malta is stuck in the same situation it has been stuck in for years. But of course, we must realise that the EU does not only take sole cognition of the arrivals from the South. There is, of course, cross border immigration from former Soviet and Warsaw pact countries.

The facts of the matter are simple. Malta is an island and those evil conmen who promise a new life to these desperate people from Africa will continue tricking them into thinking that Malta is mainland Europe.

Dr Frendo also seems to have increased impetus to his claims by garnering support from other Mediterranean states such as Italy, who have also expressed the wish for more aid to deal with the problem.

Malta said it wants to see more help in repatriating those asylum-seekers who are not granted refugee status. When one bears in mind that very few of the asylum seekers (if any at all) want to remain in Malta, preferring mainland Europe as their final destination, then surely the rest of the European Community should shoulder some of the cost of sending them back.

Going back to policing, Malta has responsibility for a fairly huge search and rescue area, but we have a very limited capability in this respect – although the AFM maritime and air squadrons do perform miracles with the equipment they have. If the EU wants to block entry to immigrants, then at least there should be some form of assistance – whether by providing man-power and equipment, or at least allocating some funds to allow Malta to have better and more equipment.

Another issue which has not yet really been expounded is that of support in re-settlement. As already mentioned, the arrivals here want to get to Europe. Now, there are, of course, countries which are clamouring for immigrants to bolster their workforce. The mechanisms should be in place to ensure a swift and smooth re-settlement of those who want to leave Malta, if there is a place for them in other countries.

In a very simple nutshell, this is not only our problem. It is not even only Europe’s.

It is a worldwide problem that will continue to escalate until standards, and a decent quality of life, become the norm in Africa and Asia.