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Mayors from Libyas desert south to its northern shores fear a deal between Tripoli and Rome to fund migrant holding centres in this north African country will simply shift Europes migration crisis onto Libyan soil.

The Mediterranean Sea between Libya and Italy has become the main crossing point for asylum seekers and economic migrants seeking a better life in Europe. Last year, Italy recorded its record number of arrivals and many migrants drowned at sea.

The deal foresees European Union money for holding centres in towns and cities along the main human trafficking routes criss-crossing Libya, as well as training and equipment to fight the smugglers.

Our priority is to support our own sons instead of allowing for illegal migrants in centres, said Hamed Al-Khyali, mayor of the southern city of Sabha, a migrant smuggling hub.

If the Europeans want to allow them to stay, they can have them in their own lands, which are larger, but not in Libya, because we have our own problems to take care of.

Libya descended into chaos after the 2011 toppling of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi, enabling smuggling gangs to develop entrenched networks.

Smugglers typically demand thousands of dollars from migrants for a risky journey across the desert before cramming them onto ill-equipped boats for a perilous crossing of the Mediterranean. An estimated 4,500 migrants drowned in 2016.

The agreement will depend heavily on the cooperation of local authorities along the smuggling routes because the UN-backed government in Tripoli exerts little effective control over much of the country.

Several mayors said they were not notified of the accord before it was struck.

The agreement, which has the backing of EU leaders, pledges support for reception camps where migrants can be held until their deportation or their voluntary return to their countries of origin.

Some migrant detention centres already exist in Libya. A UN report in December said migrants in Libya were exposed to widespread abuse in the centres, which are generally controlled by armed groups, although some have official status. The report also said some local officials were collaborating with the smugglers.

Dangerous step

Hussein Thwadi, mayor of the western coastal city of Sabratha, the departure point most frequently used for Mediterranean crossings by smugglers in Libya right now, said keeping migrants in Libya would be a dangerous step.

The idea of allowing illegal migrants to stay in Libya and providing good conditions for their livelihood is rejected by Libyans and by the authorities too, Thwadi said.

The migrant crisis was too great for Libyan authorities to handle, the mayor said. The problem of illegal migration must be solved internationally.

Most migrant-smuggling boats launch from western Libya.

Mayors in the southern towns of Kufra, Murzuq and Ghat also told Reuters by telephone that they were against the agreement for similar reasons.

Authorities in eastern Libya, who oppose the UN-backed government and hold sway over swathes of the south used by the human traffickers, this week rejected the Italian-Libyan deal.

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano on Thursday said this came as no surprise.

We got ourselves a good deal, but its not a magic wand, it doesnt mean that tomorrow morning all the problems will be resolved, Alfano told reporters in Rome.

This week the EU said it would try to protect migrants in Libya and increase voluntary repatriations through closer cooperation with the UN refugee agency and the International Organisation for Migration.

Both agencies have said that Libya should not be considered a safe country to hold migrants and process asylum requests.

The two agencies heads, together with the UN human rights chief and the UN Libya envoy, called on Friday for a comprehensive approach to tackling migrant and refugee flows in Libya, stressing the need to look at driving factors behind the crisis while improving regular pathways for migrants.

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Libya mayors say EU migrant crisis should not be dumped on them - Middle East Monitor

LONDON

From a flimsy rubber dinghy drifting 16 kilometers off Tripoli, the Libyan coast guard rescued more than 100 migrants this week, including a baby just a few weeks old. Close to 9,500 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean already this year putting 2017 on course to be a record year.

The European Union agreed this month to give the Tripoli government $213 million to bolster its security forces and coast guard; however, Italy wants a renewed push for a permanent political solution to the chaos in Libya and it's looking to Moscow for help.

The might be a wise move, according to Eurasia Group analyst Riccardo Fabiani.

"It's better to invite Russia to the table and have a strategic dialogue with them and establish some sort of connection and communication channel, rather than keep them out of the room so that you might end up one day waking up and suddenly discovering that Russia is now the main leader or power in the region," Fabiani said.

FILE - Smoke billows from a factory after an airstrike by forces loyal to former general Khalifa Haftar, in Benghazi, Libya, Oct. 22, 2014.

Libya is ruled by splintered factions, with the internationally recognized government in Tripoli, and a rival power base in the eastern city of Tobruk which backs strongman General Khalifa Haftar, also supported by Russia.

The U.N.'s special envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, voiced optimism this week that the two sides can be reconciled.

"With bold decisions and actions, we will witness a political breakthrough that can place Libya on the path of peace, prosperity and stability," Kobler said.

Italy wants Russia to help drive the rival factions together. Britain's foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, this week offered his support for a power-sharing deal.

"We need to build on it and to create a genuine partnership between the east and the west of the country," Johnson said. "That's the crucial question, how to make sure that Haftar is in some way integrated into the government of Libya."

However, some EU states fear Moscow is seeking a military base in Libya. Malta which holds the rotating EU Council Presidency has warned that Russia's backing for Haftar could trigger a civil war.

"Nobody really knows what Russia wants from Libya," analyst Fabiani said. "They've so far had a very opportunistic approach to foreign policy, and specifically in the Middle East they've basically been trying to fill every vacuum that the U.S. has left in the region."

Fabiani says Europe and Russia are waiting to see if President Donald Trump will change U.S. policy on Libya.

"Right now, it's most likely that the U.S. will just disengage from Libya and will give a sort of implicit green light to Russia, as long as they can still intervene in Libya on an ad hoc basis to fight jihadism," he said.

Even as Italy seeks Russia's cooperation, the EU this month restated its determination to uphold sanctions on Moscow over its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Italy's foreign minister, Angelino Alfano, is due to meet his Russian counterpart next week in Germany and Libya is set to top the agenda.

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Italy Seeks Russia's Help to Stabilize Libya, End Migrant Crisis - Voice of America

Mr Orbans chief of staff, Janos Lazar, said that the anti-migrant government will set up container camps on the southern border, where it wants to detain refugees while their asylum requests are being assessed.

There are around to 600 migrants in Hungary waiting for their asylum application to be processed, mostly in open camps, which pose a "security risk".

Mr Lazar said the aim was to restrict them in their movement, keeping them on the border.

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There are around to 600 migrants in Hungary waiting for their asylum application to be processed

The move is the latest in a string of interventions by Hungary to crack down on the escalating migrant crisis, with a growing number of illegal immigrants attempting to land in the country.

There are currently 500 border hunters patrolling the Hungarian-Serbian border.

Ever since the migrant crisis erupted, with more than one million refugees pouring into Europe, Hungary has taken a robust stance on defending its borders.

The country was on a direct Balkans route used by migrants to make their way from Greece and into Serbia and Croatia.

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An African migrant is helped by emergency personnel after crossing the border fence between Morocco and Spain's north African enclave of Ceuta

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In response, Mr Orban insisted enough was enough and ordered his borders with Serbia and Croatia to be shut.

A razor-wire fence built along Hungary's southern border with Serbia and Croatia has helped to sharply reduce the number of migrants from the hundreds of thousands who last year moved up from the Balkans towards northern Europe, especially Germany

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But a steady flow of migrants are still arriving at Hungary's border with Serbia.

Hungary says it has registered 19,140 asylum applications in 2016 and more than 14,000 migrants have crossed its southern borders illegally.

Last month, Hungary announced its plans to recruit secondary students to protect the nations porous borders.

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Hungary set to build SECOND FENCE on border in battle against migrant 'security threat' - Express.co.uk

The embattled Chancellor will put forward a 16-point plan to boot out rejected asylum seekers who arrived in Germany, according to reports.

The major U-turn comes as Mrs Merkel battles to hold on to her premiership as Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Martin Schulz Social Democrat Party (SPD) make strides before the German elections.

Her grip on power is growing weaker as SPD celebrates a surge in support since nominating European Parliament president Mr Schulz to take on the current leader.

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We all know we have to do more about repatriations - we need a national effort

Angela Merkel

Angela Merkels Christian Democrats (CDU) are expected to announce the deportation plans on Thursday. However discussions are set to be awkward as five rebels are already strongly opposed to the planned deportation of Afghan asylum seekers.

Mrs Merkel recently told a meeting: For the next few months, repatriation and more repatriation.

We all know we have to do more about repatriations - we need a national effort, according to Der Spiegel.

Her plans will include a joint centre for return in order to take deportation controls away from the states.

Detention centres to hold refuges until they are sent back is also included as part of the tough measures.

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More than 1.1million migrants entered Germany during the migrant crisis 2015, with most coming from Middle Eastern and North African countries.

And it appears Mrs Merkel's grip on power is growing ever weaker, with rebellion across the country against her controversial immigration policies.

It is not the first time the German leader has hinted at regret over opening her country's doors to a stream of refugees.

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Following a devastating defeat in the Berlin state elections last year, she said: If I could, I would turn back the time by many, many years.

However it is feared it is little too late for the Chancellor whose party even called for a burka ban in the wake of the a string of terror attacks and the sickening sex assaults in Cologne.

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MERKEL REGRET? Germany's chancellor is to deport MORE migrants in major U-turn - Express.co.uk

Everyone needs to recognize that Libya for us in terms of immigration and for others, security has a strategic significance that cannot be underestimated.

Everyone must do their bit to create synergies, in that way we can head towards peace, said Mr Alfano.

Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, will meet his Italian counterpartin Rome on Thursday to discuss Libya and the migrant exodus, among other topics.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, he saidthat the UK is considering extending a training program for Libyas coast guard in support of operations to tackle human smugglers and arms traffickers.

A small team of Royal Navy personnel trained Libyan coast guardsin search and rescue and vessel boarding techniques before Christmas.

The Italian embassy in London said: Stabilisation of Libya is one of the top priorities of Italian foreign policy. To that end we are cooperating with the UN, the EU and our major partners, such as the UK and the US. We also deem it necessary to engage with all players who could help to achieve such a goal, including Russia.

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Italy and Britain may court Russian-backed general to help stem Libya's migrant crisis - Telegraph.co.uk