Panaji, Dec 1 (IANS) Checking illegal migration is an onerous responsibility which requires unilateral and a unidimensional response, acknowledged delegates from Europe and Asia who Tuesday met in Goa for the 8th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) conference of directors general of immigration on management and migratory flow.
ASEM also deliberated on six crucial elements which could help in forming a comprehensive policy on global immigration.

The two-day close-door conference which started Tuesday is being attended by 30 delegates from 12 Asian countries and 30 delegates from 18 European countries.

Speaking to reporters after a session on international cooperation for facilitating legal migration, conference chair G. Gurucharan said that not only developed countries, but developing countries too were affected by the scourge of illegal migration.

“India, China, Japan, Korea, all complained they too were affected by illegal immigration. Unless there is regional and inter-regional cooperation, you cannot do much,” Gurucharan, who is the joint secretary in the union ministry of overseas Indian affairs (MOIA), said, adding that a six-pronged strategy was being worked out in that direction.

“Joint awareness campaigns in specific risk areas against the perils of illegal migration, creating avenues of legal migration were some of the key elements discussed by the ASEM delegates,” Gurucharan said.

He said that the delegates unilaterally called for a strong law to combat illegal migration, with newer, more stringent provisions to ensure swift action against unscrupulous intermediaries in order to fight illegal migration and human trafficking.

“ASEM also deliberated on the importance of technology to combat the menace along with undertaking various capacity building exercises, where all stakeholders from both countries of origin and destination can be trained,” Gurucharan said.

Lastly, the official said that the need for bilateral co-operation between nations, which enables swift verification of the identity of illegals and their return to the country of their origin was also discussed.

“We must ensure quick action against cartels that are behind human trafficking,” Gurucharan said, adding that pilot projects between countries in Europe and Asia needed to be undertaken which could help combat the problem.