EU states to expel illegals on jt flights

He told Europe 1 radio that France, Italy and Spain would also organise joint naval operations in the Mediterranean to stem an increasing tide of illegal immigration from the shores of north Africa, which Italy says is controlled by organised criminal gangs.

Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu of Italy, which has been trying to cope with thousands of immigrants arriving from across the Mediterranean in recent weeks, said the price of shipping someone into Europe has increased from 1,500 dollars (1,200 euros) in 2004 to as much as 2,500 dollars this year.

Speaking from Evian, where Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain were meeting on interior and justice questions, Sarkozy said Spanish Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso had called for the setting up of joint flights to repatriate illegal immigrants.

While the three Mediterranean countries were discussing plans for joint naval surveillance and operations against illegal immigration, Sarkozy said France was planning with Spain to conduct similar operations in the Atlantic to curb drug trafficking.