UN refugee chief urges long-term EU solution
The United Nations' refugee agency says it's relieved that the latest Mediterranean Sea standoff over migrants is over, but is calling again for Europe to establish procedures for the proper disembarkation of people rescued while trying to reach the continent by water.
U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said in a statement issued in Geneva on Sunday that the episode involving 190 migrants who were rescued by an Italian coast guard ship on Aug. 16 "needs to be a wake-up call."
After the Diciotti docked in Sicily, the Italian government refused to let any passengers who weren't minors or needed medical help get off the ship. The remaining 140 migrants were allowed to leave early Sunday after Italy's Catholic bishops assumed responsibility for 100 of them and Albania and Italy offered to take about 20 each.
Grandi said: "The Diciotti situation is now resolved, but what happens next time? We need a collaborative and reliable European approach towards persons rescued at sea."
