EU interior ministers discuss issue of foreign fighters in Syria

EU interior ministers met here Thursday and discussed among other subjects the issue of the European fighters in the armed conflict zones, Syria in particular. "We remain concerned about worrying trends in Syria and increased numbers of foreign fighters on the territory of Syria. We have discussed this problem in a wider context of counter-terrorism measures," Alfonsas Barakauskas, Lithuanian Minister for Home Affairs whose country holds the current EU Presidnecy, told a press conference after the meeting tonight. "The EU counter-terrorism coordinator has presented his suggestions as to further priorities in this area. The ministers decided to continue in the area of prevention and exchange of information and in criminal matters when it comes to our cooperation with third countries," he added. On her part, Cecilia Malmstrom, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, told the joint press conference that " there is an increasing number of foreign fighters, people from Europe, going to Syria to fight. Many of them are joining Al Qaeda like groups. We discussed how we can have an European approach to this." "We highlighted the work we do in Radicalisation Awareness Network where we work on a local level with experts, police, teachers , religious leaders in order to identify people at risk," she said. The EU Commissioner added that they are looking at different proposals on how to deal with the problem but no decision has been taken as yet. "Of course we will come back to this. It is an urgent and important matter," she said. Malmstrom said she is very happy to hear that a few EU Member States, for instance Norway and Finland, declared that they will take increased resettled refugees directly from Syria. The ministers also discussed the issues related to right to free movement of persons within the EU and a report on work of the Task Force Mediterranean which was created after the recent drowning of hundreds of illegal African immigrants off the Italian coast of Lampedusa. Five main areas of action were identified to prevent loss of lives at sea; these are strengthening cooperation with third countries; promoting more active participation in the resettlement activities; enhancing fight against trafficking, smuggling and organised crime; reinforcing border surveillance for saving of lives of migrants in the Mediterranean; and providing assistance to and solidarity with the EU Member States in dealing with high migration pressure.