ROME, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing row between Italy and France over the treatment of migrants may spill over to the upcoming European Union (EU) summit, analysts have said.
Leaders are scheduled to meet in Brussels Thursday and Friday to discuss a series of EU reforms. But media in both Italy and France as well as in other parts of Europe have reported the Dublin Regulation that governs the way migrants are processed will be the central issue.
The Dublin Regulation requires that asylum seekers landing in Europe must be processed in the country where they land. That puts most of the burden on Italy, and to a lesser extent Greece and Spain, the countries registering the most migrant arrivals.
Italy wants other EU members to do more to help offset the burden. But other states led by France are criticizing the policies from the Italian government, saying it aimed at forcing the hand of other countries.
Italy has begun turning away foreign rescue ships with migrants on board and government officials have vowed to kick out as many as 500,000 migrants and refugees already living in Italian territory.
"Italy and France have had problems in the past, but migration is now the central issue since the installation of the Conte government in Italy following Macron's election in France," Christian Blasberg, a professor of contemporary history at Rome's LUISS University, told Xinhua, referring to Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Conte and Macron have been quick to criticize each other in recent weeks. Macron blasted Italy for turning away the rescue ship Aquarius which was eventually granted safe haven in Spain. Conte pushed back, pointing at France's own mixed history with migration. Macron claimed France had accepted more migrants than Italy so far this year, warning, "We won't be taught lessons by anyone".
Conte summoned French ambassador Catherine Colonna to his office to lodge a complaint and he nearly cancelled a planned trip to Paris on June 15. The trip went forward as planned and the two leaders appeared to mend their relationship. But on Tuesday, Macron did not meet Conte when traveling to Rome.
Analysts said now that the ruffled feathers between the two neighbors is expected to spill over into the Brussels summit, possibly pushing other topics to the background.
On Sunday, Macron admitted there was no strategy in place to help sooth hot tempers.
"There is no big plan," he said. "Countries can only submit proposals and they can be discussed. We hope to make progress."
