Starmer, Macron agree on need for migrant deterrent: UK
The two met for lunch during on Wednesday, with both sides talking up the need to deliver concrete progress to stop migrants travelling to England from France.
"The leaders agreed tackling the threat of irregular migration and small boat crossings is a shared priority that requires shared solutions," a summary of the meeting sent out by Starmer's office said.
"The two leaders agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs."
Starmer is seeking to agree to a returns deal for asylum seekers ahead of a bilateral summit on Thursday.
Such an agreement would help the prime minister meet a pledge to stop the flow of tens of thousands of people into the United Kingdom from across the Channel.
France has rejected a returns deal for asylum seekers in the past, saying the UK should negotiate with the European Union as a whole.
Under Starmer's plan, the UK would deport one asylum seeker to France in exchange for another with a legitimate case.
But in a speech on Tuesday, Macron spoke of the need to address "migration pull factors," suggesting any deal would require Starmer to make it harder for migrants who do not have legal status to live and work in the UK.
The two countries have also been working to create a military force to back Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, and co-operation on trade and defence were themes in Macron's speech on Tuesday.
Macron's three-day visit, at the invitation of King Charles III, is the first state visit to the UK by a European Union head of state since Brexit.
The president and his wife, Brigitte Macron, were greeted on Tuesday on a red carpet at London's RAF Northolt air base by the Prince and Princess of Wales and they were met in Windsor, west of London, by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
A military band played the French and UK national anthems as all four set out for the royal residence of Windsor Castle in horse-drawn carriages, through streets bedecked in Union Jacks and French tricolour flags.
with AP
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed on the need for new solutions to the problem of illegal migration, Starmer's office says.
The two met for lunch during on Wednesday, with both sides talking up the need to deliver concrete progress to stop migrants travelling to England from France.
"The leaders agreed tackling the threat of irregular migration and small boat crossings is a shared priority that requires shared solutions," a summary of the meeting sent out by Starmer's office said.
"The two leaders agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs."
Starmer is seeking to agree to a returns deal for asylum seekers ahead of a bilateral summit on Thursday.
Such an agreement would help the prime minister meet a pledge to stop the flow of tens of thousands of people into the United Kingdom from across the Channel.
France has rejected a returns deal for asylum seekers in the past, saying the UK should negotiate with the European Union as a whole.
Under Starmer's plan, the UK would deport one asylum seeker to France in exchange for another with a legitimate case.
But in a speech on Tuesday, Macron spoke of the need to address "migration pull factors," suggesting any deal would require Starmer to make it harder for migrants who do not have legal status to live and work in the UK.
The two countries have also been working to create a military force to back Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, and co-operation on trade and defence were themes in Macron's speech on Tuesday.
Macron's three-day visit, at the invitation of King Charles III, is the first state visit to the UK by a European Union head of state since Brexit.
The president and his wife, Brigitte Macron, were greeted on Tuesday on a red carpet at London's RAF Northolt air base by the Prince and Princess of Wales and they were met in Windsor, west of London, by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
A military band played the French and UK national anthems as all four set out for the royal residence of Windsor Castle in horse-drawn carriages, through streets bedecked in Union Jacks and French tricolour flags.
with AP
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed on the need for new solutions to the problem of illegal migration, Starmer's office says.
The two met for lunch during on Wednesday, with both sides talking up the need to deliver concrete progress to stop migrants travelling to England from France.
"The leaders agreed tackling the threat of irregular migration and small boat crossings is a shared priority that requires shared solutions," a summary of the meeting sent out by Starmer's office said.
"The two leaders agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs."
Starmer is seeking to agree to a returns deal for asylum seekers ahead of a bilateral summit on Thursday.
Such an agreement would help the prime minister meet a pledge to stop the flow of tens of thousands of people into the United Kingdom from across the Channel.
France has rejected a returns deal for asylum seekers in the past, saying the UK should negotiate with the European Union as a whole.
Under Starmer's plan, the UK would deport one asylum seeker to France in exchange for another with a legitimate case.
But in a speech on Tuesday, Macron spoke of the need to address "migration pull factors," suggesting any deal would require Starmer to make it harder for migrants who do not have legal status to live and work in the UK.
The two countries have also been working to create a military force to back Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, and co-operation on trade and defence were themes in Macron's speech on Tuesday.
Macron's three-day visit, at the invitation of King Charles III, is the first state visit to the UK by a European Union head of state since Brexit.
The president and his wife, Brigitte Macron, were greeted on Tuesday on a red carpet at London's RAF Northolt air base by the Prince and Princess of Wales and they were met in Windsor, west of London, by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
A military band played the French and UK national anthems as all four set out for the royal residence of Windsor Castle in horse-drawn carriages, through streets bedecked in Union Jacks and French tricolour flags.
with AP
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed on the need for new solutions to the problem of illegal migration, Starmer's office says.
The two met for lunch during on Wednesday, with both sides talking up the need to deliver concrete progress to stop migrants travelling to England from France.
"The leaders agreed tackling the threat of irregular migration and small boat crossings is a shared priority that requires shared solutions," a summary of the meeting sent out by Starmer's office said.
"The two leaders agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs."
Starmer is seeking to agree to a returns deal for asylum seekers ahead of a bilateral summit on Thursday.
Such an agreement would help the prime minister meet a pledge to stop the flow of tens of thousands of people into the United Kingdom from across the Channel.
France has rejected a returns deal for asylum seekers in the past, saying the UK should negotiate with the European Union as a whole.
Under Starmer's plan, the UK would deport one asylum seeker to France in exchange for another with a legitimate case.
But in a speech on Tuesday, Macron spoke of the need to address "migration pull factors," suggesting any deal would require Starmer to make it harder for migrants who do not have legal status to live and work in the UK.
The two countries have also been working to create a military force to back Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, and co-operation on trade and defence were themes in Macron's speech on Tuesday.
Macron's three-day visit, at the invitation of King Charles III, is the first state visit to the UK by a European Union head of state since Brexit.
The president and his wife, Brigitte Macron, were greeted on Tuesday on a red carpet at London's RAF Northolt air base by the Prince and Princess of Wales and they were met in Windsor, west of London, by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
A military band played the French and UK national anthems as all four set out for the royal residence of Windsor Castle in horse-drawn carriages, through streets bedecked in Union Jacks and French tricolour flags.
with AP
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Washington's top diplomat joined foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Kuala Lumpur at a meeting on Thursday that includes Australia, China, the European Union, Japan, Russia, South Korea and Russia, and others. The visit is part of an effort to renew US focus on the Indo-Pacific and look beyond conflicts in the Middle East and Europe that have consumed much of the Trump administration's attention. "It is our view, our strong view, and the reality that this century and the next, the story of the next 50 years, will largely be written here in this region, in this part of the world," Rubio told the gathering of ASEAN ministers. "When I hear ... that perhaps the United States or the world might be distracted by events in other parts of the planet, I would say distraction is impossible," said Rubio, who doubles as national security adviser. 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On Monday, a senior State Department official said Rubio's priorities for the trip included reaffirming Washington's commitment to the region, not just for its sake but because it promoted American prosperity and security. Security co-operation was a top priority in areas such as the strategic South China Sea and combating transnational crime, narcotics, scam centres, and people-trafficking, the official said. As well as their tariff unease, many have doubts about the willingness of Trump's "America First" administration to fully engage diplomatically and economically with the region. Trump will impose a tariff of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea and has taken aim at ASEAN nations, with a levy of 25 per cent on Malaysia, 32 per cent on Indonesia, 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand, as well as 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. He has also stepped up to 20 per cent from 17 per cent the tariff on US defence treaty ally the Philippines. 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On Monday, a senior State Department official said Rubio's priorities for the trip included reaffirming Washington's commitment to the region, not just for its sake but because it promoted American prosperity and security. Security co-operation was a top priority in areas such as the strategic South China Sea and combating transnational crime, narcotics, scam centres, and people-trafficking, the official said. As well as their tariff unease, many have doubts about the willingness of Trump's "America First" administration to fully engage diplomatically and economically with the region. Trump will impose a tariff of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea and has taken aim at ASEAN nations, with a levy of 25 per cent on Malaysia, 32 per cent on Indonesia, 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand, as well as 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. He has also stepped up to 20 per cent from 17 per cent the tariff on US defence treaty ally the Philippines. Only Vietnam has secured a deal with Trump to lower its levy to 20 per cent from an initial 46 per cent. Trump has also upset another key Indo-Pacific ally, Australia, which said on Wednesday it was "urgently seeking more detail" on his threat of 200 per cent tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. A draft joint communique seen by Reuters shows that ASEAN foreign ministers will express "concern over rising global trade tensions and growing uncertainties ... particularly the unilateral actions relating to tariffs". Monday's draft uses language similar to an ASEAN leaders' statement in May, saying tariffs are "counterproductive and risk exacerbating global economic fragmentation".
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