The Spanish Foreign Minister, Josep Pique, has expressed concern over a wave of illegal immigrants arriving from Africa.

As many as 800 people were detained by the Spanish authorities over the weekend - a figure Mr Pique described as unacceptable.

In an interview carried by Spain's Europa Press agency, Mr Pique said the Spanish Government had called in the Moroccan ambassador to discuss the problem.

He had been asked to talk to Spanish Foreign Ministry officials on Wednesday tomorrow.

Mr Pique urged Morocco to engage in stricter policing and to make a firm commitment to tackle the problem.

A Foreign Ministry official stressed that Mr Pique was not making a formal protest.

He said the foreign minister was offering Spain's help in dealing with the refugee problem.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service