A European Union migrant redistribution mechanism could abet human trafficking in the absence of one to repatriate failed asylum-seekers, Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio said on Friday.
"It is true that we are working with Europe for an accord on the relocation of migrants, let's not get carried away," Di Maio said during a visit to the central Italian city of Assisi on Friday.
"Such a mechanism could help human traffickers to persuade many desperate people to set sail from the North African coast," Di Maio warned.
For this reason, the Italian foreign ministry will unveil a repatriation blueprint "in the coming days", he said.
Stabilising chaos-wracked Libya is also key to ending the influx of migrants in the Mediterranean, Di Maio said, adding that he planned to go to Tunisia to discuss a repatriation accord with its authorities.
Libya and Tunisia are the main departure points for migrants aiming to reach Europe by boat.
