African and European Ministers have called for greater co-operation on illegal immigration. They are meeting in Libya to discuss concerns over the flood of migrants using North Africa as a transit route to Western Europe. But talks have stalled over the issue of a development fund to stop people leaving their countries. European Commission Vice-President Franco Frattini said: "Immigration is not a problem of security. First of all it's a problem of eradicating profound roots of poverty and unemployment."

"That's why Europe wants to cooperate with African Union to bring jobs and growth in the origin countries," he added.

Ministers are to adopt a declaration on measures to combat illegal immigration, while protecting refugees, as well as an action plan against slavery. More than 40,000 illegal immigrants have been detained just this year in Spain and Italy alone.

PHOTO CAPTION

EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini, seen here in October 2006, has urged member states to take action against violent video and computer games which involve "obscene cruelty and brutality." (AFP)