Valletta, Malta - Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis said Friday that the European Union needs to strengthen its border patrols, and eventually create a European Coast Guard.

Speaking after talks with Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in Malta, Karamanlis said illegal immigration was a major concern for both Greece and Malta and it was important that the EU responds "jointly and effectively."

"Greece strongly supports the Immigration and Asylum Pact because it brings to the forefront European solidarity," he told reporters.

The Immigration Pact, hammered out in Brussels recently, was an important step, but not the final step, he said. Both Greece and Malta are on the frontline of the problem of illegal immigration.

Statistics released by the Emigrants Commission in Malta Friday, indicated that immigrant arrivals on the Mediterranean island in 2008 had for the first time ever exceeded the local birth rate. (dpa)