I must confess that, prior to attending a Commonwealth Parlia-

mentary Association meeting in Jersey earlier this summer, I was not aware of the magnitude of the illegal immigration problem that Cyprus is facing. I was under the wrong impression that these hailed mainly or primarily from the Turkish occupied part of the island.

While many Commonwealth countries attending the conference were rather luke-warm (or should I say tepid) in their reaction to discussing the illegal immigration problem, we found strong backing from the Cypriots in putting the item centre stage on the agenda of the conference – even at workshop level.

From the information that I was given and that I have picked up since then it transpires that Cyprus’ status as a favoured route for illegal immigrants has been further raised by the island’s accession to the EU in 2004. After all, the island is well placed for such clandestine activity, sitting as it does at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

What is different from the way we were treated is that in Cyprus’ case, Brussels considered the reinforcement of the island’s coastal defences and detection network a crucial condition of EU membership.

The Head of the EU Mission in Cyprus had stated last June that precisely because its borders are also external EU borders, the EU paid specific attention to the measures that would be taken to strengthen the frontiers during the course of accession talks.

While Malta is primarily used as a transit country by design or by default, in Cyprus’s case – representing as it does the wealthiest of the bloc’s 10 new member states – it is not just looked upon as a transit country but also as a place in which illegal immigrants set out to build a new future.

Since joining the EU, Greek Cypriots have beefed up their border controls as never before, having also taken delivery of two more super-fast patrol boats from Italy. The Cypriots have also invested in sophisticated radars from Israel, and bought additional helicopters and a plane, while also doubling their marine port staff.

Obviously they were also spurred on in intensifying such efforts because of the heavy influx from the Turkish occupied north that I mentioned earlier on.

While for years Nicosia even denied that it was a transit point for illegal immigrants, the Italian interior ministry estimated that as many as 50,000 Europe-bound illicit migrants pass through open waters off the island every year.

Where the Cypriots deserve praise is that, contrary to Malta which has been dragging its feet for far too long, the Cypriot authorities have taken tough and what have been described as ‘pretty successful’ measures to prevent a potential influx. Last year even illegal migrants on the island were also targeted as part of the concerted crackdown.

Although political asylum seekers have shot up dramatically in numbers, according to the island’s chief immigration officer, on the basis of the applications examined, 99 per cent are not genuine – being, in the majority of cases, economic migrants posing as political

asylum-seekers.

It is only now that Malta has acknowledged a long overdue wake-up call that what we are facing is nothing but a flagrant case of people smuggling.

Even student visas were being abused. Ironically under alleged pressure from the EU, Cyprus was last year reported to have clamped down with an iron fist on student visas being issued to applicants from developing countries.

The chief immigration officer claimed that a lot were going to Cyprus, quickly abandoning their studies and then travelling to other parts of the EU on tourist visas. Now, applicants are interviewed by a migration officer in their home country before they are given a visa.

The moment word gets around that Malta is no safe haven for people-smugglers, the harsh truth will sink in and numbers will begin to drop.

Always if the authorities are given the necessary logistical support to “win” this “battle”, which is sapping our socio-economic backbone.

There is need for a UN 5th world conference on women

As a member of the Maltese parliamentary delegation to the Council of Europe I strongly support the report drawn up by Socialist MP Lydie Err from Luxembourg, who has been arguing that the C of E should promote a UN Fifth World Conference on Women, to take place not later than the year 2010, and also to organise a preparatory regional conference no later than the year 2007.

Her main argument is that a decade has passed since the last UN World Conference on Women took place in Beijing. Contrary to popular belief, she claims that the reality of the situation of women in the world today is depressing and that in some areas even worse than in 1995. Although governments made many commitments in Beijing, very few of them have shown an eagerness to implement the agreed upon Platform for Action and there has been widespread lack of political will to change the status quo.

I agree wholeheartedly that this is not the right moment to give in to so called “gender equality fatigue”.

One has to admit that many new challenges have emerged regarding women’s rights which were not covered in 1995.

The urgent call should not only go out to governments but also to the various players from civil society to start the process leading to such a conference – particularly for Europe to do something by 2007, since world conferences of this kind normally take some three years to prepare.

e-mail: [email protected]

Leo Brincat is the main opposition spokesman on Foreign Affairs and IT.