Det er derimod en kendsgerning - hvis det er mig tilladt - at vi i tide burde havde tænkt på, at disse grænser og disse asylforanstaltninger over for flygtningene nu om dage burde foretages på europæisk plan. Men man kan kun konstatere, at der ikke er nogle opmuntrende tegn hverken i Amsterdam-traktaten eller i Rådets aktion, som siden 1991 har blokeret et konventionsprojekt om de ydre grænser.
I associate myself with those criticisms, I say that the Italian authorities have acted properly and have shown, from this point of view, a great sense of responsibility, but at the same time I answer the fact - if I may - that, if we had thought in time that these frontiers and these asylum measures for refugees are measures to be taken henceforward at the European level, it cannot but be recognized that neither in the Treaty of Amsterdam, nor in the action of the Council, which has blocked a draft convention on external borders since 1991, are there encouraging signs.