DHAKA: Defense ministers from five European Union (EU) countries are meeting on Sunday for talks on a military campaign to stop human trafficking and reinforce the region’s defenses against the flow of migrants from North Africa.

Officials from France, Germany, Poland, Italy and Spain will use events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Lorient, western France, to discuss how to battle the new threat facing Europe that has already cost thousands of lives.

The ministers are also expected to discuss Europe’s common defense strategy as well as the crash on Saturday of the new Airbus A400M military plane in Spain during a test flight which left four dead.

The first fatal incident involving the new troop and vehicle transporter led Britain, Germany and Turkey to ground their planes, while France said it was keeping its fleet of six in the air, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1921 HRS, MAY 10, 2015
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