TRIPOLI, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Libya's National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday rejected the "unilateral European attempt" to set up immigration camps in Libya.
The European Union plans to set up camps and international protection centers for migrants in transit countries such as Libya to assess asylum applications and provide legal assistance to the migrants and asylum seekers.
The commission said the reasons for its rejection are humanitarian, legal, security and national reasons, including the state of armed conflict, the proliferation of arms, the worsening of organized crime rates, and escalation of human rights violations in Libya.
"Libya is not a party of the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, therefore is not bound by any obligation under the convention," the statement said.
The commission reiterated that immigration must be addressed in accordance with the international rules and regulations, including international humanitarian laws and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, while respecting the sovereignty and independence of the states under the United Nations.
Libyan UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj met with the Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini on Monday, agreeing to hold a joint conference in September to address illegal immigration.
Italy closed its ports earlier in June and refused to receive a ship belonging to an international organization that rescues migrants in the Mediterranean, with 600 migrants aboard.
Spain agreed to receive the 600 migrants, after intensive international contacts.
Italy's refusal to receive these migrants from Libya is the first of its kind, which observers consider as an indication of Italy's likelihood to give up its international commitments on accepting migrants.
