Paris, Feb 28 (IANS) European countries should adopt a "common strategy" on issues related to violence-hit Libya, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in an address on national television.

The ongoing political crisis in Arab countries has negative consequences, such as uncontrollable immigration flow to Europe, and rise of terrorism in the region, Sarkozy said in the speech, according to Xinhua.

"We have a duty to act with ambition ... That's why we asked the European Council to hold a meeting to make Europe adopt a common strategy on Libyan crisis," he said.

He called on Europe to adopt "new tools to promote education and training for the youth of the countries in south of Mediterranean" and "an economic and trade policy to promote growth of these young democracies".

He said the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) can play an important role in restoring stability in the region.

The UfM, founded at the initiative of France in 2008, encompasses 43 countries from Europe and the Mediterranean Basin.