布鲁塞尔，10月13日——据路透社获悉的欧洲委员会主席乌尔苏拉·冯德莱恩致欧盟领导人的信函，欧盟已追加2500万欧元（约合2900万美元）的资金，用于深化与利比亚东部的移民合作。
BRUSSELS, Oct 13 - The European Union has signed an additional €25 million ($29 million) in funding to expand migration cooperation into eastern Libya, according to a letter from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to EU leaders seen by Reuters.
这笔资金将用于支持利比亚东部的边境管理、搜救行动以及打击人口走私活动。此举进一步体现了欧盟与由军事指挥官哈利法·哈夫塔尔掌控地区的合作日益紧密，而布鲁塞尔方面也试图借此遏制经地中海前往欧洲的非法移民潮。
The funding will support border management, search-and-rescue and anti-smuggling activities in eastern Libya. It is a further sign of deepening EU engagement with the region controlled by military commander Khalifa Haftar as Brussels seeks to curb irregular migration across the Mediterranean.
自2011年北约支持的起义推翻穆阿迈尔·卡扎菲政权后，利比亚便成为众多试图冒险渡海前往欧洲的移民的主要中转地。目前该国西部与东部分别由对立的行政当局掌控。
Libya, where control is split between rival western and eastern administrations, has been a major transit route for migrants attempting the dangerous sea crossing to Europe since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi.
长期以来，欧盟及其成员国一直为利比亚海岸警卫队提供援助与培训，协助其在海上拦截非法越境的移民。虽然欧盟仅正式承认以的黎波里为中心的政府，但鉴于近年来从哈夫塔尔控制的东部地区出发的移民数量持续上升，欧盟自去年起便逐步加强与当地当局的联络。
The EU and its member states have long supported and trained the Libyan coastguard, which intercepts migrants at sea. While the EU formally recognises only the Tripoli-based government, it has stepped up contacts with authorities in eastern Libya since last year as migrant departures from areas controlled by Haftar in eastern Libya have risen.
此前在7月份，欧盟曾宣布将在利比亚东部城市班加西设立海上搜救协调中心，此次拨款亦是对与该地区合作力度的进一步延伸。
The move follows the July announcement by the EU that it would establish a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, further expanding cooperation with authorities in the east.
冯德莱恩在信中强调：“利比亚依然是非法越境前往欧盟的主要出发国。”她还指出，即将举行的欧盟-利比亚会议旨在确保双方合作得以延续。
"Libya remains the top country of departure for illegal crossings to the EU," von der Leyen wrote, describing an upcoming EU-Libya meeting as a way to keep cooperation going.
此外，她透露欧盟与国际移民组织正携手协助那些希望自愿返回原籍国的移民。她补充道：“我们同样致力于减少那些单纯为了非法进入欧盟而抵达利比亚的移民数量。”
She said the EU and the International Organization for Migration were supporting voluntary returns from Libya to countries of origin. "We are equally focused on reducing the number of migrants arriving to Libya with the sole intention to cross illegally into the EU," she added.