More than a century after the signing of the Entente Cordiale, relations between France and the United Kingdom have deteriorated due to Brexit and the many crises of migrants trying to cross the English Channel. Now Paris and London are looking to “turn the page” and revive relations, with French President Emmanuel Macron today hosting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for the first Franco-British summit since 2018. Migration is one of the topics on the agenda.
“Donnez-moi a breaksaid former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, confusing French and English, to ask the French to leave him alone – after complaints from Paris that Australia had torn up the submarine purchase agreement, he opted for a deal with British and Americans.
Discussions about Brexit and fishing rights in the Channel had fueled debate for years, and this was just another example of the leaders’ “clash of personalities”. The situation was not improved by Liz Truss, who said on the campaign trail that she did not know whether Macron was “a friend or an enemy”.
But things look different with Sunak, since the first phone call between the two, following the appointment of the new British prime minister in October, spoke of “willingness to work closely together” and “make progress in preparing for a bilateral summit in 2023”. .
That meeting will take place this Friday, weeks before what will be King Charles III’s first visit abroad – precisely to France, in yet another gesture of approach. “We are now renovating, putting things in order and preparing for the future”an aide to Macron told reporters on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
On the UK side, and following the presentation of the new plan to try and halt illegal migration – 45,000 people arrived on British shores last year alone – it is important to take a new step in this area. agreement with France. In November, the British agreed to pay the French a further €72.2 million to enable an additional 350 people to track down migrant boats, preventing them from going to the UK.
“Dealing with illegal immigration is a global challenge and it is vital that we work with our allies, especially the French, to prevent crossings and loss of life in the Channel”, a Downing Street source told AFP. Sunak travels to Paris with several ministers, including Interior, Foreign Affairs and Defense, with support for Ukraine, something that unites them.
Source: DN
