UK, France agree on defence
Powers reach deals on migrants and security
LONDON: Agreements on defence, security and the treatment of migrants were reached by President Emmanuel Macron of France and Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain on Thursday, as the two leaders sought to protect critical areas of co-operation while Britain prepares to withdraw from the European Union.
Anglo-French summit meetings are regular events, but with Britain’s scheduled departure from the bloc in March next year, this one has a particular resonance. The British withdrawal, known as Brexit, will bring to an end more than four decades of European integration, and this year will see tough negotiations on the future trading relationship between Britain and the remaining 27 nations of the bloc.
In a significant goodwill gesture, Mr Macron announced that the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman Conquest of England, would be lent to Britain for display, allowing it to leave France for the first time in 950 years. That, Mr Macron told a news conference, was part of an effort to deepen cultural ties and help the two nations make “a new tapestry together,” even as Brexit introduces new uncertainty into their relationship.
Ms May agreed to pay an additional $62 million to help reinforce security around the French port city of Calais, which has been a gathering point for migrants seeking to enter Britain. That money will be spent on fencing, CCTV cameras and infrared detection technology.
The payment has rankled some members of Ms May’s Conservative Party, who believe costs should be borne by France. But Ms May defended the policy on Thursday, saying it was in Britain’s “national interest” to secure one of its frontiers.
During his election campaign, Mr Macron suggested renegotiating or scrapping the 2003 Le Touquet agreement that established British border controls in Calais, but that question has receded for now. On Thursday the two leaders reached an additional accord that aims to reduce the time spent by migrants in Calais, particularly unaccompanied minors.
Underscoring t he importance of defence co-operation, Thursday’s meeting was held at the Sandhurst military academy, and Ms May said that three British military helicopters would support French operations against Islamist insurgents in the Sahel region of Africa. France would commit troops to a British-led Nato force in Estonia in 2019, she said.
Welcoming the agreements, Ms May said they illustrated her argument that Britain “may be leaving the European Union, but we are not leaving Europe.” For Mr Macron, co-operation on defence with Britain — Western Europe’s only other significant military power — is important to bolster the credibility of European foreign policy. For both sides, anti-terrorism and intelligence co-operation is vital.