MOSCOW, September 20 (RIA Novosti) - Britain and France have reached an agreement to step up border controls to prevent illegal crossings by immigrants from Calais to Britain through the English Channel, Reuters reported Sunday.
According to the news agency, illegal immigrants from the Middle East and northern and eastern Africa have been trying to enter Britain from the French port city of Calais.
Two weeks ago a dispute arose when the United Kingdom refused to provide France with £12 million to be directed at measures that would prevent these very immigrants from reaching the United Kingdom.
Now that an agreement has been scored by the interior ministers of both countries, Britain will commit an annual amount of £3.9 million over the next three years.
"This fund will finance moves to secure the port of Calais and protect the vulnerable," French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve was quoted as saying by Reuters Saturday.
According to the news agency, the number of illegal immigrants in Calais has doubled since last year, now standing at 1,500.
