EU brushes aside Kadhafi immigration price tag

(BRUSSELS) - Europe brushed aside on Wednesday Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi's five-billion-euro annual price tag for stemming illegal immigration, saying it can already do lots with far less cash.

The European Commission recognises that there is "great scope" to develop cooperation with Libya on efforts to stem the flow of illegal immigrants who use Libya as a springboard to Europe, a commission spokesman said.

But, spokesman Matthew Newman told a news briefing, "much can be achieved jointly with far less amounts than those evoked by Colonel Kadhafi."

Speaking during a visit to Italy, Kadhafi suggested on Monday that the 27-nation EU should pay Libya at least five billion euros (6.4 billion dollars) a year to avoid what he called a "black Europe."

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said on Tuesday that Kadhafi's proposal would be discussed at a European-African summit hosted by Libya in November.

The commission has already spent more than 50 million euros on migration-related projects with Libya, said another spokeswoman for the EU's executive arm, Angela Filote.

"We stand ready to develop a long-term cooperation with Libya on all migration-related issues," she said.

Since November 2008, the EU has been negotiating with Libya a broad accord to regulate migration, trade and investment. The eighth round of negotiations will take place September 21-22 in Brussels, Filote added.