Members of the European Parliament Rue Wiertz 60 B-1047 Brussels Belgium

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the Commission European Commission Rue de la Loi 200 1049 Brussels Belgium

16th April 2015

Subject: Call for measures to prevent loss of life at the Libyan coast to be included in ongoing peace talks between Libyan parties.

Madam High Representative,

As you are undoubtedly aware the ongoing migration crisis in the Mediterranean has reached a new low over the last few days. In less than a week Europe has witnessed two shocking tragedies involving around 1,000 migrants who have lost their lives as two boats capsized off the Libyan coast in two separate tragedies.

It is clear that the instability in Libya is encouraging persons who are temporarily residing in the region, waiting for the opportunity to flee to Europe, to take unprecedented risks. Furthermore, it is also clear that people traffickers are becoming more daring. This is evidenced by the new practices put into action by these criminal groups who are now boarding a larger amount of individuals on small boats which cannot hold such numbers. The good weather and the approaching Summer months will make this situation even worse.

The pictures of dead people, including children as young as 2 years old washed onto the Libyan shores, which have been carried by the press should be a wake-up call for all. Our own messages of grief and compassion will lead to nothing if not accompanied by real action. We should be taking immediate action to stop further loss of life, yet as we write this letter more daughters, sons, mothers and fathers are boarding the boats that may lead them to their death.

We believe that your efforts within the past few months as High Representative to the EU have resulted in progress which gives us hope. Your direct involvement in the Libya crisis proves that the EU is dedicated to helping to create peace in the region, and sends a message to the international community that conflict resolution is a global responsibility. This is why we urge you to highlight this terrible situation in the current Libyan Peace talks, in order to ensure that combatting human trafficking and reducing the loss of life on Libya's borders, and beyond are put at the forefront of these talks. The loss of life in the Mediterranean is not simply an EU problem, it is a problem for the Arab States too and we must work together with Libya to ensure no more men, women and children are washed up dead on Europe and Libya's shores. This way, we can continue to highlight the issue that the deaths of thousands of men, women and children due to forced migration is not simply the Mediterranean Region's responsibility, or the EU's responsibility - but a global responsibility.

We are urging action to confront the situation at the Libyan coasts, with the aid of the UN and the EU. We ask that this becomes a specified action point in the ongoing discussions and to be included specifically in the eventual final accord between the different parties in Libya. We believe that this diplomatic action can help pave the way for a real possible solution to this tragedy.

We believe that this can be done through the facilitation of UNSMIL, led by Mr. Bernardino Leon which has been making great efforts towards finding a diplomatic solution to the unrest in Libya. UNSMIL's efforts include the bringing together of different factions and devising a mutually agreed pathway towards conflict resolution and a fully functioning Libya state led by a national unity government. The current round of talks being held in Morocco will hopefully provide further progress towards a final deal. While we fully support this approach by UNSMIL, we are aware that giving Libya, the Libyans and all those living in the country the stability they deserve will take its time.

This means that while efforts will develop we will be heading towards another summer of horror with thousands ending up dead in our Mediterranean Sea since no authority will be able to exert the needed control on human traffickers at the Libyan coasts.

In view of this, we are writing to you as Europe’s primary diplomat to kindly take charge of this initiative by communicating our suggestion directly to UNSMIL head Mr. Bernardino Leon, who we are also appealing to in a separate correspondence, at the earliest possible opportunity keeping in mind that using the current Morocco talks to present this point would be ideal. Hence Signed,

Miriam Dalli Victor Negrescu Cláudia Monteiro de Aguiar Ivo Vajgl Franc Bogovic Mercedes Bresso Nathalie Griesbeck Seb Dance Lucy Anderson Michela Giuffrida Afzal Khan Juan Carlos Girauta Rachida Dati Javier Lopez Massimo Paolucci Izaskun Bilbao Barandica Renata Briano Peter Niedermuller Demetris Papadakis Christine Revaut d'Allonnes Bonnefoy Javor Benedek Maria Arena Damian Draghici Pavel Telička Ivo Belet Ivan Jakovcic Knut Fleckenstein ______Georgi Pirinski Members of the European Parliament Olga Sehnalová Elena Valenciano Marlene Mizzi Clare Moody Pier Antonio Panzeri Kyrkos Miltos Renato Soru Gesine Meissner Ilhan Kyuchyuk Eva Khaili Jutta Steinruck Angelika Mlinar Marju Lauristin Mary Honeyball Elena Gentile Igor Šoltes Kateřina Konečná Catherine Bearder Hilde Vautmans Mark Demesmaeker Anneliese Dodds Javier Nart Glenis Willmott Jude Kirton Darling Neoklis Sylikiotis Keith Taylor Theresa Griffin Luigi Morgano