SPANISH PRIME MINISTER JOSE LUIS RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO PLEDGED TO STAY TOUGH ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION TUESDAY AFTER NEARLY 800 AFRICANS ENTERED THE CANARY ISLANDS, DPA REPORTED. THE NUMBER OF ILLEGALS WAS THE LARGEST SO FAR TO LAND ON THE ISLANDS WITHIN 24 HOURS. AT A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON THE STATE OF THE NATION, SOCIALIST ZAPATERO DEFENDED HIS TWO-YEAR GOVERNMENT'S GENERAL RECORD. IMMIGRATION "CONTRIBUTES TO SPAIN'S GROWTH, BUT IT CAN ONLY HAPPEN LEGALLY," THE PREMIER SAID, ADDING THAT SPAIN HAD ALSO BEEN A LAND OF EMIGRANTS AND THAT HIS GOVERNMENT HAD LEGALIZED 600,000 IMMIGRANTS. WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICANS CONSTITUTE A MUCH SMALLER GROUP THAN LATIN AMERICANS OR EASTERN EUROPEANS, BUT THEIR DRAMATIC LANDINGS IN RICKETY BOATS MAKE THEM MORE VISIBLE. ZAPATERO SAID THE EU HAD AGREED TO CO-FINANCE REPATRIATIONS OF AFRICANS TO THEIR COUNTRIES.
