Libya rejects EU plan to establish migrant centres in the country

The Guardian: Libya has rejected a European Union plan to establish migrant centres in the country, adding that its decision would not be swayed by any financial inducements.

The formal rejection by the Libyan prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, is a blow to Italy, which is regarded as being close to Sarraj’s Tripoli administration.

In June, Italy proposed reception and identification centres for migrant processing in Africa as a means of resolving divisions among European governments.

The impasse came as the EU said it was willing to work as a temporary crisis centre to oversee the distribution of migrants from ships landing in Europe from Libya. Italy has said it is not willing to open its ports and may even reject migrants rescued by the EU Sophia search and rescue mission, a position that has infuriated other EU states.

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