FRANCE: BRITAIN AND FRANCE AGREE TO IMPOSE TIGHTER CONTROLS ON CHANNEL TUNNEL RAIL LINK TO TRY AND HALT INCREASE OF ASYLUM SEEKERS ENTERING THE UK

Record ID: 647094

  • Title: FRANCE: BRITAIN AND FRANCE AGREE TO IMPOSE TIGHTER CONTROLS ON CHANNEL TUNNEL RAIL LINK TO TRY AND HALT INCREASE OF ASYLUM SEEKERS ENTERING THE UK
  • Date: 9th February 2001
  • Summary: CAHORS, SOUTHERN FRANCE (FEBRUARY 9, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF RIVER LOT 0.06 2. SV: ARRIVAL OF BRITAIN'S HOME SECRETARY JACK STRAW AND FRENCH COUNTERPART, DOMINIQUE VAILLANT 0.13 3. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) JACK STRAW: "This is not about demands, this is about reaching common understanding and agreement about a common problem which affects us in different ways, because of our different geography. But it is a common problem, and we want to find common solutions. The conversation has been constructive." /STRAWS WALKS OFF 0.38 4. PAN DOWN: OLD TOWN OF CAHORS 0.42 5. LV/SLV'S/SV: FRENCH PREMIER LIONEL JOSPIN, FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC AND BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR WALKING DOWN STREET /WOAMN LOOKING OUT OF WINDOW (4 SHOTS) 1.08 6. VARIOUS: DIGNITARIES PHOTO OPPORTUNITY (3 SHOTS) 1.36 7. PAN DOWN: CROWD SWARMING AROUND DIGNITARIES 1.41 8. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (French) JOSPIN: "Usually, when we meet, we have good news." 1.48 9. MV: BLAIR, CHIRAC AND JOSPIN ENTERING CONFERENCE ROOM 1.58 10. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) BLAIR: "The issue of illegal immigration and asylum is one of the most serious issues that faces Europe at the present time. It is, as I say, not just an issue for Great Britain, but for all countries in Europe. We have to find the right way of making sure we treat the genuine case with real dignity, but take action against illegal trafficking in human beings. It is appalling traffic, it is often connected with other criminality, the drugs trade and other types of organised crime". 2.33 11. WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE 2.38 12. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (French) PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC SPEAKING ABOUT NUCLEAR SHIELD AND SAYING: "Putting in place a system like this is going to upset international relations in a a big way and create opposition at a time when it is in the interest of the world for calm, not to create tension. An initiative of this type can only create tension and we are not in favour of tension." 3.08 13. PAN DOWN: OF FARMERS DEMONSTRATING ON RIVER BANK 3.16 14. SLV: DEMONSTRATORS BURNING EFFIGY OF GM CROPS 3.21 15. SV: DEMONSTRATORS WITH BANNERS READING 'WE ARE WHAT WE EAT' 3.26 16. SV: DEMONSTRATOR WITH TORCH 3.29 17. VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATION (4 SHOTS) 3.47 18. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) FARMER DIDIER: "We want Europe to put in place a uniform compensation package and stop over production and allow small farmers who want quality food to be able to live properly." 4.00 19. GV'S SCENIC VIEWS OF CAHORS BRIDGE (2 SHOTS) 4.12 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 24th February 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CAHORS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA7SSSRCQNC3JB012YUDJQTKIMP
  • Story Text: France and Britain agreed on Friday to impose tighter
    controls on their cross-Channel rail link to try to stem
    record numbers of asylum seekers slipping into Britain.



    French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime
    Minister Tony Blair, speaking after a day of talks in the
    mediaeval town of Cahors in south-west France, called for
    wider European efforts to tackle human trafficking across the
    continent.

    "The issue of illegal immigration and asylum is one of the
    most serious issues that faces Europe at the present time"
    Blair told a joint news conference with Chirac.

    Chirac's government promised at Friday's (February 9)
    talks it would try to ratify by June an accord allowing
    immigration officers from both countries to check passengers
    boarding the train in Paris.

    That would close off a loophole which Britain says has
    allowed up to 400 people a month to sneak across the Channel
    and claim asylum in London.

    Blair, who is gearing up for an election expected in May,
    is under strong domestic pressure to crack down on illegal
    immigration.

    Last year, asylum applications reached a record 76,000, up
    from just 4,000 at the end of the Cold War a decade ago.

    Opposition Conservative politicians say Blair has turned
    Britain into a soft touch for "bogus asylum seekers."
    The two countries also called for tough European Union
    penalties on traffickers who smuggle people across borders and
    for a review of an EU convention which British officials say
    makes repatriation of illegal immigrants open to lengthy
    appeal.

    Building on a joint British-Italian initiative announced
    last weekend, they said they were committed to cracking down
    on criminal organisations trafficking people from the Balkans
    into the 15-nation EU bloc.

    French President Jacques Chirac spoke about US nuclear
    shield and said that it was in the interest of the world not
    to create tension.

    "Putting in place a system like this is going to upset
    international relations in a big way and create opposition,"
    said Chirac.

    While the Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Jacques
    Chirac were holding their one-day summit, some 100 farmers
    demonstrated in Cahors asking Europe to put in place a uniform
    compensation package and stop over production in order for
    small farmers who want quality food to be live properly.
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