[Published: Monday January 07 2019]
 Pope urges end to migrant boat deadlock
VATICAN CITY 7 Jan (ANA) - Pope Francis has appealed to European leaders to show "concrete solidarity" and allow 49 migrants aboard two ships in the Mediterranean to land.
Issuing a "heartfelt appeal" in a public address in the Vatican, the Pope said the migrants needed "a safe port".
Both Italy and Malta have refused to allow the two ships to land.
Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said it could set a "precedent", while Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio called on Malta to "do its part".
"I make a heartfelt appeal to European leaders to show concrete solidarity for these people," the Pope told about 60,000 people in the Vatican's St Peter's Square in an Epiphany feast day address.
The Dutch-registered vessel Sea-Watch 3, operated by a German humanitarian group, picked up 32 of the migrants off Libya on 22 December while Sea-Eye - a second ship run by a different German charity - rescued another 17 people on 29 December.(ANA)
FA/ANA/7 January 2019-----
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