(Paris) The crisis between Paris and London crossed a new threshold on Friday, with France’s cancellation of British participation in a crisis meeting on migrants on Sunday, in response to Boris Johnson’s remarks asking France to resume immigrants arriving in Britain.
Beyond the content of the letter, it is its publication that ulcerated France. “I am surprised at the methods when they are not serious,” said Emmanuel Macron, visiting Rome.
“We do not communicate from one leader to another on these issues by tweets and letters that are made public, we are not whistleblowers,” said the President of the French Republic.
In a message to his British counterpart, Priti Patel, the French Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin, believes that if the letter is a “disappointment”, its publication is “even worse”. As a result, he canceled the coming of Mme Patel in Calais, northern France, on Sunday. The meeting will take place in the presence of the ministers responsible for immigration from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as the European Commission.
It will focus on strengthening operational cooperation in the fight against smugglers, “because they are international networks that operate in different European countries”, according to the entourage of the Minister of the Interior of the French Republic.
Despite these very harsh words, London asked Paris to reinstate the invitation to its Home Secretary.
“Global challenge”
Boris Johnson also assumes this letter, sent according to him “in a spirit of partnership and cooperation” with France, said the spokesman for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
PHOTO MATT DUNHAM, FRANCE-PRESS AGENCY
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
“It is a global challenge to which we must respond collectively, with the French and our other European partners,” added the spokesperson.
In his letter, Mr Johnson deplores the “catastrophe” represented by the sinking of a ship off Calais on Wednesday, which resulted in the death of 27 migrants: 17 men, 7 women and 3 young people.
This is the deadliest migratory tragedy since the increase in Channel crossings in 2018, faced with the growing lockdown of the port of Calais and the rail tunnel, used until then.
PHOTO HENRY NICHOLLS, REUTERS
Migrants rescued in the English Channel by British border forces upon arrival at the port of Dover, England, early Thursday
The question of crossings, often the source of bilateral tensions, is a delicate one for the British Conservative government, which has made the fight against immigration its hobbyhorse in the wake of Brexit and sees the south coast of England doing so. faced for months with massive arrivals of migrants.
If France and the United Kingdom seemed so far to want to silence their disagreements and improve their coordination, the demand of Boris Johnson has tense Paris.
Fishing and submarines
“I propose that we put in place a bilateral readmission agreement to allow the return of all irregular migrants crossing the Channel,” he said in his letter, referring to similar agreements concluded by the European Union with the Belarus or Russia.
Seeming on the same wavelength, Priti Patel called for a “coordinated international effort”, in front of British MPs.
“There are enough, double talk and the permanent outsourcing of British problems”, lamented the spokesman of the French government, Gabriel Attal.
It makes you wonder now if Boris Johnson does not regret having left Europe, because, as soon as he has a problem, he considers that it is up to Europe to manage it!
Gabriel Attal, spokesperson for the French government
Asked whether Paris was going to denounce the Touquet agreements, which have fixed the British border on the French coast since 2004, in exchange for financial compensation, the French government spokesperson replied that, whatever the agreements in force , “You will never be able to change neither the geography, nor the geopolitical balances, nor the desire of migrants who want to go to Great Britain”.
By November 20, 31,500 migrants had left the coast since the start of the year and 7,800 had been rescued. Before Wednesday’s sinking, the human toll since January had risen to three dead and four missing.
Beyond this question, tensions have increased on both sides of the Channel since Brexit, primarily on fishing. France is raising the threat of sanctions if its fishermen do not obtain more licenses to work in British waters.
The crisis of confidence further worsened when Paris discovered in September that Washington, London and Canberra had secretly negotiated a strategic partnership agreement. France indirectly lost a mega-contract to sell submarines to Australia.