Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 13 July 2017
French PM lays out new migrant plan, offers no ‘magic wand’

By ELAINE GANLEY The plan calls for speeding conference with a group of “It they were easy to solve, In a measure of the prob-
Associated Press up asylum claims, creating ranking ministers, Philippe I have no doubt they would lem, Paris has cleared out
PARIS (AP) — French Prime more housing for asylum- said France has fallen short have been solved.” a single neighborhood
Minister Edouard Philippe seekers and other mea- on both humanity and firm- France has taken in far few- 34 times in two years and
outlined a plan Wednesday sures to make life easier for ness. er migrants than Italy and placed 2,771 migrants in
to address the high number people hoping to remain in He did not assign blame for Germany. housing on Monday. Hun-
of migrants arriving in the France. past missteps to previous The government nonethe- dreds of others have re-
country, but conceded A new law in the making governments. less has been at times over- turned to the port city of
he has no “magic wand” would help enforce expul- “I introduce (these mea- whelmed by the number of Calais since a huge make-
to resolve a situation that sions of those deemed to sures) in all humbleness as new arrivals and felt threat- shift camp on the French
is larger than France and be in the country illegally. I am perfectly aware that ened by the anti-immigra- approach to the English
won’t go away any time Addressing the carrot and the issues at stake today tion rhetoric of politicians Channel was cleared in
soon. stick approach at a news are difficult,” Philippe said. on the far right. October.q

EU’s Brexit negotiator sets out tough conditions for UK

many tens of billions of eu- “How do you build a rela-
ros to meet previous com- tionship which is going to
mitments it made as an last with a country where
EU member. Otherwise, he you don’t have trust?” Bar-
says, there’s no point in dis- nier asked. Trust, he said
cussing anything else. “means settling accounts.”
“It’s not an exit bill. It’s not Barnier said he “could not
a punishment. It’s not re- imagine that a very great
venge — at no time has it country like the U.K.” would
been those things. It’s sim- not also “be a responsible
ply a settling of accounts,” country and respect its
he said. commitments.”
Barnier dismissed British For- After Barnier briefed the
eign Secretary Boris John- EU Commission on the ne-
son’s comment that the gotiations, he spoke to re-
EU can “go whistle” if it will porters, and exuded some
insist on Britain paying any impatience with the Brit-
excessive bill. ish government for letting
“I am not hearing any whis- valuable time in the two-
tling, just the clock ticking,” year negotiating slot go to
Barnier said, with the March waste.
2019 deadline for Britain to After triggering the two-
EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier speaks in Brussels. Barnier has set out tough conditions
for Britain to meet during the first months of talks before both sides can start looking at a future leave the bloc drawing year divorce negotiations
relationship. Barnier says that Britain needs to make “sufficient progress” on citizens’ rights, the bill ever closer. in March, British Prime Min-
it has to pay to the EU and on issue of the Irish border before talks can move to a future trade deal. Estimates of the amount ister Theresa May decided
(AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) Britain that must pay to to call an early election to
By RAF CASERT at a future relationship. the EU and the Irish border cover pension liabilities for strengthen her hand — only
JILL LAWLESS Showing frustration with — before talks can move to EU staff and other com- to lose her Conservative
Associated Press what Europeans consider a future trade deal. mitments such as farming majority and add to the
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- British grandstanding and Barnier said the three areas subsidies to humanitarian political chaos in a country
pean Union’s chief Brexit impatience with a dearth “are indivisible and inter- aid have ranged upward deeply divided over Brexit.
negotiator said Wednes- of clear proposals, the EU’s twined,” making clear that to 100 billion euros ($114 bil- “We are ready. My team is
day that Britain must meet Michel Barnier said Britain progress in two of the three lion). ready,” said Barnier, add-
tough conditions in divorce needs to make “sufficient would be insufficient to ad- He said questioning such is- ing he was even “ready
talks — and doesn’t have progress” on all the initial vance to the next stage. sues as financial obligations to work through the 14th
long to do it — before the issues — citizens’ rights, the And he insisted that Britain cuts to the heart of any fu- of July” — France’s Bastille
two sides can start looking bill that Britain must pay to recognize it faces a bill of ture relationship. Day holiday.q
Italy warns EU must keep door open to Balkan members

By DARKO BANDIC the region. northern port city of Trieste, plan to create a regional est has been fueled by
NICOLE WINFIELD Premier Paolo Gentilo- a symbolic bridge city be- economic area, Gentiloni reports of Russia’s growing
JOVANA GEC ni said enlarging the EU tween the EU and the Bal- said. influence in the Balkans, a
Associated Press “isn’t around the corner” kans. The European Union is keen region that Moscow con-
TRIESTE, Italy (AP) — Italy but must be held out as During the meeting, the to show it’s still committed siders a traditional area of
warned Wednesday that a concrete possibility for European Commission an- to the Balkans even though interest.
the European Union must aspirants Albania, Bosnia, nounced new funding to the official enlargement Russian efforts have been
keep its doors open to Kosovo, Macedonia, Mon- boost economic growth in process is on hold until 2019 mostly visible in Serbia,
eventual membership for tenegro and Serbia. the region. and the bloc itself is fraught where there are Moscow-
Western Balkan countries Gentiloni was speaking at Balkan leaders, mean- with its own problems — funded news outlets and
or risk allowing Russia and the end of the fourth EU- while, signed a treaty on Brexit and tamping down boosted economic and
other global powers to in- Western Balkans summit, integrating their transport migration leading the list. military ties between the
crease their influence in held Wednesday in the networks and adopted a The EU’s continued inter- two countries. q