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French Minister Warns of Sending Calais Camp Refugees Across Channel

© AFP 2023 / PHILIPPE HUGUENRefugees stand in the so-called "Jungle" migrant camp in Calais, northern France
Refugees stand in the so-called Jungle migrant camp in Calais, northern France - Sputnik International
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France will suspend its agreement with the United Kingdom to keep migrants on the French side of the English Channel should Britain leave the European Union, French Minister of the Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs Emmanuel Macron said Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Since 2003, a bilateral agreement between Britain and France provides for juxtaposed border controls for cross-channel ferry routes from France to the UK. Known as the Treaty of Le Touquet, the agreement allows for the stationing of British border security at northern French ferry terminals.

“The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais,” Macron said in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper.

Migrants stand next a fire burning shacks, in the southern part of the so-called Jungle migrant camp, as half of the camp is being dismantled, in the French northern port city of Calais, on March 1, 2016. - Sputnik International
Up in Smoke: Migrants in Calais Burn Camp Down
Macron threatened to scrap the treaty in the event that the United Kingdom leaves the European Union following a "yes" vote in the country's upcoming Brexit referendum, which would lead to an influx of migrants into England from migrant camps such as the "Calais Jungle."

The minister also warned of an exodus of financial services workers from the City of London should it give up its EU membership.

“If I were to reason like those who roll out red carpets, I would say we might have some repatriations from the City of London,” Macron said, echoing the British prime minister's comments made in 2012 when he said that the United Kingdom would welcome French tax exiles fleeing the 75 percent tax hike proposed by the socialist government there.

Meanwhile, French State Secretary Harlem Desir said that Britain will give France some 20 million euros ($21.7 million) in aid to deal with the refugee crisis at the Calais migrant camp.

Speaking with France’s RTL radio station, the state secretary in charge of European affairs said that France was going to receive an additional 20 million euros "to secure the access to the tunnel and the port zone around Calais."

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