France Says Italy Flouting International Law on Migrant Ship

France's prime minister accused Italy on Tuesday of not meeting its international obligations after refusing to take in more than 600 migrants stranded aboard the rescue ship Aquarius.

"Italy, the Italian government, has chosen to not respect its international obligations terms of security for the people," Edouard Philippe told lawmakers. "This episode shows that there is no hope in the short-term for a national solution to this problem. There can only be a European response."

Philippe said no European country had done more than France to try to stabilise the migrant crisis through its military operations in the Sahel region and its efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in Libya.

Reporting by John Irish