EUROPE-MIGRANTS/CALAIS British, French ministers visit Eurotunnel, target traffickers in migrant policing push

Record ID: 143318

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/CALAIS British, French ministers visit Eurotunnel, target traffickers in migrant policing push
  • Date: 20th August 2015
  • Summary: CALAIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 20, 2015) (AGENCY POOL) BRITISH HOME SECRETARY, THERESA MAY, AND FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER, BERNARD CAZENEUVE, WALKING PAST POLICE OFFICERS TOWARDS BRIDGE OVER EUROTUNNEL TRACKS VARIOUS OF MAY AND CAZENEUVE MEETING POLICE OFFICERS MAY AND CAZENEUVE WALKING TOWARDS MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH HOME SECRETARY, THERESA MAY, SAYING: "We have already taken a number of steps that have started to improve the situation here in terms of the numbers of people trying to access the tunnel, and the numbers of people trying to get through to the United Kingdom. But the work must continue and (on) our visit here today we will be looking at the further measures we can take together, both the governments of the U.K. and France to ensure that we address this issue." MAY AND CAZENEUVE ADDRESSING MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER, BERNARD CAZENEUVE, SAYING: "We are in France really determined to succeed reaching the goal and we are reaching the goal because we have a high level of illegal gangs who are now imprisoned and in front of the French justice." MAY AND CAZENEUVE ADDRESSING MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER, BERNARD CAZENEUVE, SAYING: "We are also confronted with a security challenge. The traffickers who are part of international criminal organisations must be prosecuted and their organisations dismantled. We need to send a very strong signal from Calais that you can't cross the border which we run together." MAY AND CAZENEUVE SHAKING HANDS VARIOUS OF TRAINS PASSING BY CALAIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 20, 2015) (AGENCY POOL) MAY AND CAZENEUVE LOOKING AT CCTV MONITOR INSIDE THE EUROTUNNEL CONTROL ROOM MIGRANTS SEEN ON CCTV MONITOR VARIOUS OF MAY AND CAZEUNEUVE WATCHING MONITOR INSIDE CONTROL ROOM MAY SPEAKING TO OFFICIALS MAY AND CAZEUNEUVE LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 4th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADDXGY1TKICAPJYVJ84WZHQ4ED
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: British and French ministers visited the Eurotunnel site in Calais on Thursday (August 20) to unveil a new joint plan of action to deal with the thousands of migrants camped nearby hoping to cross the Channel.
    British Home Secretary Theresa May and French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve paid a trip to the Eurotunnel terminal which was the centre of chaotic scenes earlier in the month as many hundreds of migrants attempted to breach security fences.
    They met with French police and representatives of the British border force at the site in Coquelles, outside the northern French town, where they repeatedly emphasised their close cooperation in trying to tackle the problem of people trafficking.
    "We have already taken a number of steps that have started to improve the situation here in terms of the numbers of people trying to access the tunnel, and the numbers of people trying to get through to the United Kingdom. But the work must continue and (on) our visit here today we will be looking at the further measures we can take together, both the governments of the U.K. and France to ensure that we address this issue," May said.
    Cazeneuve said progress was being made and that many gang members were already behind bars.
    "The traffickers who are part of international criminal organisations must be prosecuted and their organisations dismantled. We need to send a very strong signal from Calais that you can't cross the border which we run together," he said.
    Both ministers emphasised that the problem being faced was an international one with its roots outside Europe.
    The pair were later due to sign an agreement which will see the creation of a joint command and control centre drawing on both British and French resources.
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