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WORLD NEWSThursday 8 October 2015

Germany, France try to turn tide of European skepticism

German Chancellor Angela Merkel gestures as she delivers her speech as part of a joint appear- powerful proponents of Eu- Merkel told European law-
ance with French President Francois Hollande, right, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, ropean unity underscored makers that Europe faces
eastern France, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. the risks now besetting the “a test of historic dimen-
EU’s 28 nations, including sions” with the influx of
(AP Photo/Michael Probst) rising nationalism and a migrants seeking shelter
new populist fervor. from war and poverty. She
SYLVIE CORBET the EU, urged European Merkel spoke of a “test of Those tensions sprang to life urged “a determined con-
Associated Press lawmakers on Wednesday historic dimensions” and within the chamber when tribution by Europe to re-
STRASBOURG, France (AP) to pull together to create Hollande evoked the “end a French far-right leader solving these crises.”
— French President Fran- a stronger Europe to cope of Europe” if it is not set insulted Hollande, address- Merkel, who has come for-
cois Hollande and Ger- with the influx of migrants right. ing him as “Merkel’s vice- ward as the champion of
man Chancellor Angela that is raising tensions and The separate addresses to chancellor, administrator refugees flowing into Eu-
Merkel, in a highly unusual dangerously straining the the European Parliament of the province of France.” rope, said overcoming the
bid to heal divisions within union. in Strasbourg by the most Marine Le Pen, who heads refugee crisis together is a
a far-right group in parlia- key challenge for the Euro-
ment seeking increased pean Union.
sovereignty for the 28 “It is precisely now,” she
member states, told Merkel said, “that we need more
that “German interests Europe ... If we overcome
don’t justify turning other that, we will be stronger af-
people of Europe into vas- ter the crisis than before.”
sals.” The conservative German
The bitter retort after the Chancellor and the So-
two leaders’ speeches un- cialist French president to-
derscored the encroach- gether symbolize the kind
ing nationalist sentiment of Europe they want to see
within the European Union, thrive, in which differences
fed by the arrival of some are set aside for the com-
half-million migrants. mon good.
Hollande said Europe en- It was the first such joint
sures against the “return of appearance in Strasbourg
nationalism, populism, ex- since 1989, when West Ger-
tremism.” man Chancellor Helmut
“If (you) don’t want a stron- Kohl and French President
ger Europe ... the only pos- Francois Mitterrand spoke
sible path is simply to leave days after the fall of the
Europe,” Hollande said to Berlin Wall.
a standing ovation. The European Union was
conceived to end centu-
EU to crack down on people refused asylum ries of war through open
trade and increased pros-
LORNE COOK ing sanctuary or jobs, spark- the “use of detention as a lion) up until 2020 on return- perity, and it’s also been
RAF CASERT ing the EU’s biggest refugee legitimate measure of last ing people who enter Eu- a way for Europe to stay
Associated Press emergency in decades. resort.” rope illegally. globally relevant. Ger-
BRUSSELS (AP) — European But of people who fail to The EU has common asy- Better use will be made of many and France have
Union countries are clos- obtain asylum or residen- lum rules and legislation for Europe’s visa and finger- played a leading role to
ing in on an agreement cy in the 28-nation EU, less returning people not per- print databases and coun- keep the 28-nation bloc
Thursday to crack down on than 40 percent actually mitted to stay, but the rules tries will ensure that all deci- united despite major dif-
migrants who have been go back. It is seen as a ma- have rarely been enforced sions to send people home ferences of views among
refused entry into the bloc jor flaw in the EU’s common with any consistency. are entered into the Schen- European leaders.
so they can be swiftly sent migration policy. With thousands of people gen passport-free area’s Since 2014, the EU has
home. At Thursday’s meeting in arriving daily, border and computer system. faced the Ukrainian con-
A key issue will be to ensure Luxembourg, EU interior reception facilities have The ministers will welcome flict at its eastern border,
there are tougher measures ministers will agree that “all been stretched to break- a proposal for the Frontex Greece’s resurgent debt
to put those who have to measures must be taken to ing point. Ensuring returns border agency to deploy crisis, terrorist attacks in Par-
leave in pre-departure de- ensure irregular migrants’ is seen as one way to ease “rapid return intervention is and Brussels, threats that
tention to make sure they effective return,” accord- the pressure. teams,” and give Frontex Britain could leave the EU,
don’t disappear to live ille- ing to a draft statement According to the draft more powers to organize and the biggest wave of
gally in EU nations. seen by The Associated statement, EU countries returns jointly among mem- migrant arrivals since World
More than 500,000 people Press. plan to spend more than ber nations.q War II. q
have arrived this year seek- Those measures include 800 million euros ($900 mil-