France is ready to enter into a “serious discussion” with Britain on issues related to illegal immigration, but will not become a hostage of London’s domestic policy, French Interior Minister Geral Darmanen said tonight.
Speaking at a news conference after meeting with three of his European counterparts in Calais, Darmanen said Britain needed to take on its own responsibilities and make it less economically attractive to illegal immigrants.
“Britain has left Europe, but not the world. “We need to work hard on these issues (…) without being held hostage by British domestic policy.”
France has been managing the issue of illegal immigration in Britain for 25 years and it is time to wake up London, Darmanen also said. “If immigrants come to Calais, Dunkirk or northern France, they do it because they are attracted to England, especially the job market there, that you can work in England without any identification. “Britain must take responsibility and limit its economic attractiveness.”
No specific decisions were taken at the meeting. However, Frontex, the European border control service, agreed at the meeting to provide an aircraft to monitor France’s northern coastline. The plane “will fly day and night” in the area, Darmanen said, assuring that Paris intends to “work with British friends” but “on equal terms” to control this migration route.
A senior German Interior Ministry official who attended the meeting said it was “urgent” to adopt an agreement between the European Union and Britain on immigration.
“Britain has an important role to play, an agreement is needed” between the UK and the EU, said Stephen Meyer.
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