UK wants “urgent” talks to move to Europe after French snub | Refugee Stories

The United Kingdom government has announced its plans for negotiations Channel problem with European ministers this week when it was cold in a crisis meeting in France.

Government officials from Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands will meet in Calais on Sunday with officials from the European Union and the EU Border Agency Frontex and the Europol police force following deaths 27 in last Wednesday’s Channel.

UK Interior Secretary Priti Patel was banned from the meeting after Prime Minister Boris Johnson published a letter he sent to French President Emmanuel Macron outlining London’s plan to take action against refugees.

Instead, he wrote on Sunday: “I will have an active discussion with my European counterparts this week to avoid further problems in the Channel.”

No immediate comments were received from the Patel Interior Ministry on the location or timing of the discussions.

But Patel used a comment in The Sun to highlight the need for concerted action and to enforce strong UK laws as he was pressured by the right-wing media and his Conservative party to address the issue.

“There is a lot we can do and I apologize for not attending the meeting with European ministers today to discuss this issue,” he wrote.

“We need to be ready to find new solutions that can have a very positive effect, which is why the Prime Minister and I are ready to discuss ideas with our French counterparts at any time,” Patel said.

“And I know from my discussions with my European friends in recent days and weeks that there is much that can be done. Together, we can eradicate human trafficking and save lives – but we must take action now.”

‘Fighting human trafficking’

France is conducting an international criminal investigation into the drowning, the most dangerous migration accident on the Channel reported. 17 men, seven women and three children have died.

The Iraqi Kurds and Somalis were one of the climbers, though many were not known publicly.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the German-language vehicle was seized during a search.

The Calais service conference will only focus on smuggling networks, which cost 3,000 to 7,000 euros ($ 3,400 to $ 7,900) per trip across the Channel.

The purpose of the conference is to “promote cooperation in the fight against human trafficking because these are international networks operating in various European countries,” a Darmanin correspondent told AFP.

Support groups oppose the principles of compassionate, coordinated security rather than more police forces. In camps along the French coast, groups of Sudanese and Kurdish people from Iran and Iraq gather under the pouring rain, waiting for their chance to cross the Channel – not to be disturbed by Wednesday’s deaths and tours. on the beach.

The number of refugees attempting to cross the Channel in small boats jumped this year amid travel restrictions and post-Brexit. However, this figure is much lower in Britain than in other European countries.

‘Boats must stop’

Despite Calais’ criticism, the UK also insisted on taking action against France as required by Johnson in his letter to Macron, including a joint patrol on the north coast of France – which had previously been rejected as a violation of French rule.

Interestingly, he also said that all refugees have returned to England, which he said could save “thousands of lives by violating the terrorist trade policy”.

“This is what we need to do,” Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News.

“Our policy is clear: the boats must stop. We cannot do it ourselves. We want French cooperation,” he said.

But before the Calais summit, Britain and France met greater opposition on conflict rather than working together.

“All these countries are playing the wrong game while the kids are drowning in our Channel,” Lisa Nandy, spokeswoman for Britain’s opposition Labor party, told Sky.

He said: “It is absurd.