Macron promises ‘tangible results' on migration
London
French President Emmanuel Macron promised on Tuesday to deliver on measures to cut the number of migrants crossing the English Channel ahead of a summit with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Macron said the issue of irregular migration was a 'burden' to both countries.
The UK has pushed for tougher action from the French authorities on the beaches along the Channel coast and also hopes to strike a 'one in, one out' deal to send small boat migrants back to the continent.
In exchange, the UK would accept asylum seekers in Europe who have a British link.
Speaking to lamakers and peers in the UK Parliament as part of his state visit to the UK, Macron said: 'In this unstable world, hope for a better life elsewhere is legitimate.
'But we cannot allow our countries' rules for taking in people to be flouted and criminal networks to cynically exploit the hopes of so many individuals with so little respect for human life.
'France and the UK have a shared responsibility to address irregular migration with humanity, solidarity and fairness.' Decisions at Thursday's UK-France summit will 'respond to our aims for co-operation and tangible results on these major issues.'
He promised the 'best ever co-operation' between France and the UK 'to fix today what is a burden for our two countries.' Macron's state visit comes a week after the total number of people crossing the Channel in small boats this year passed 20,000.
The total now stands at more than 21,000, a record for this point in the year.
Macron said the summit would mark a 'new stage' to scale up co-operation between the two countries, Europe's only nuclear powers and major contributors to the continent's security. With US President Donald Trump demanding more from European NATO members, Macron said the UK and France, together accounted for 40% of the continent's military budgets, 'both fully shoulder the responsibility when it comes to European security.'
The UK and France have been prominent supporters of Ukraine following its invasion by Russia and Macron said the countries 'faced with revisionist neighbours' have a 'special responsibility for the security of the continent.'
Tensions between Europe and the US over trade also featured in Mr Macron's address.
He said European countries had to break away from economic dependence on both the US and China. He said: 'We want an open world. We want to co-operate, but not to depend.'
On his arrival in the UK, Macron said the two countries would 'address the major challenges of our time: security, defence, nuclear energy, space, innovation, artificial intelligence, migration, and culture'.
'These are all areas in which we seek to act together and deepen our co-operation in a concrete, effective, and lasting way.'
Starmer and the French president are expected to co-host a meeting of the 'coalition of the willing', the peacekeeping mission proposed to be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.
Macron said: 'There is so much we can build together: for the stability of our continent, for our shared prosperity and competitiveness, and for the protection of our democracies.'
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