Michel Barnier says France has to be 'ruthless' with UK over ongoing migrant crisis

Amid UK-French diplomatic controversy, former EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has supported enacting countermeasures against Britain and deporting asylum-seekers across English Channel. In an interview with French media outlet, LCI, Barnier accused United Kingdom of violating Brexit agreement and leaving European Union and France with no choice but to devise retaliation tactics. Barnier also accused UK PM Boris Johnson of a provocation in regard to his recent letter to French President in which he urged Paris to reach a bilateral remission deal allowing migrants who crossed English Channel to be returned to France. 

In televised interview, Barnier said, “This is obviously an ditional provocation from Boris Johnson, who is in a state of mind of confrontation on all subjects with European Union.” 

“We talk about fishing and fishermen but also about very serious problem of peace in Ireland where y went back on ir commitments and ir word. And on this very serious question, which deserves much more than polemics and confrontations, question of migrants and how to deal intelligently with this human question,” he ded. 

Furr, according to Barnier, who is a potential centre-right candidate in French presidential election, this state of affairs and London’s reaction were “absolutely inmissible”. “What you don’t need is confrontation, it’s sit down at table and find solutions,” Barnier stated. He also went on to note that one has to be “ruthless” with British in matters such as this one. In particular, Paris should request London to “welcome all migrants” who want to come to Britain and not elsewhere and to process asylum applications on ir own territory, Barnier ded. 

Boris Johnson’s letter to Macron 

Meanwhile, it is to mention that in letter, Johnson called on Macron to take back people who have reached UK by saying, “I propose that we put in place a bilateral remissions agreement to allow all illegal migrants who cross Channel to be returned.” He furr ded, “This would have an immediate effect and would significantly reduce - if not stop- crossings, saving lives by fundamentally breaking business model of criminal gangs.”

Boris Johnson also stated that he was “open” to new ideas that would help to stop tre in humans and also to protect lives. He pointed out that even though y have been able to stop over 20,000 crossings, however, many people have been putting ir lives at risk. Johnson highlighted need to go “furr and faster toger” and proposed five new measures that he wanted to see taken. In his letter to Macron, UK PM outlined five steps that included maritime patrol efforts in each or’s territorial waters and using vanced technology. He furr mentioned that y need to have surveillance through air and work on strengning Joint Intelligence cell. 

Image: AP/Twitter/Matthimon