Britain is set to resist any attempts to recast a long-standing agreement on border checks in Calais after fresh warnings from France that the deal could be axed.
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A TOP French politician has called for a hotspot in Calais where migrants waiting to cross the Channel can claim British asylum.
Ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy has demanded the controversial Calais “Jungle” migrant camp be moved out of France and into the UK.
Xavier Bertrand told the BBC that the Calais-based migrants should be able to go to designated “hotspots” in France and apply for refuge in the U.K. If this is denied, Bertrand said, France would then deport these migrants back to their country of origin.
Betrand said he wants the treaty revoked.
Mr Bertrand wants an agreement similar to the Treaty of Le Touquet, which allows British immigration to check passports in Calais and their French counterparts to do the same in Dover. The French president reiterated this again at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister on July 21.
Amber Rudd is due to discuss security with French Interior Minster Bernard Cazeneuve during the scheduled trip, which is her first official overseas engagement since taking up the post.
But a Home Office spokeswoman said last night: “We remain committed to working together to protect our shared border in Calais and to maintain the juxtaposed controls. Because there are no identity cards and there are certain employers who are happy to hire them and underpay them, knowing that they won’t make a fuss because they’re illegal”, Calais region president Bertrand said, as quoted by The Telegraph.
The FTA said the jungle camp should be moved away from the port to prevent ongoing attacks on truck drivers, while calling for “proper processing procedures” to be put in place to ensure genuine asylum seekers quickly receive the help they need.
Mr Sarkozy and his Republican rival for the presidential nomination Alain Juppe both say the Le Touquet deal should be scrapped.
Asked about reports that the United Kingdom may withdraw security co-operation with France if it tears up the agreement on Calais, a Downing Street spokesman said: ” France is one of our most important allies in Europe and I wouldn’t get drawn on speculation about some suggestions that we may or may not be withdrawing co-operation.
In an interview with Sputnik, Sebastien Rivera of France’s national haulage federation, said that even though over the past 15 years local long-haul truck drivers have grown used to the presence of migrants in the region, they can not tolerate what is now going on. “That means both Britain and France must work together”.
After the area became a flash point in Europe’s migrant crisis a year ago, authorities made new efforts to deter or resettle migrants.
France’s Socialist government, including Cazeneuve and President Francois Hollande, have repeatedly said they will respect the Le Touquet agreement which, if dropped, could spur the flow of refugees fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa through France to Britain.
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Sarkozy was speaking in Touquet, where in 2003, France signed a symbolic border treaty with Britain. He just looks like a hypocrite.
