"I was over, and met with him in Paris three weeks ago to really press the point about how significant delivering this maritime tactic is for us because of the taxi boat scenario. This was referred to by President Macron at the summit in July when he spoke with the [British] prime minister. So it is frustrating that it's taken the time that it has."
"In June, the French cabinet pledged to change the way maritime law was interpreted in order to allow police officers to intercept migrant boats at sea for the first time within 300 metres of the coast. This was hailed by government insiders as a gamechanger for their efforts to stop the crossings, which have reached more than 32,000 so far this year."
UK border security commander Martin Hewitt said French authorities have not implemented tactics to puncture and disable migrant 'taxi' boats in shallow waters, and that rapid government changes in France have been a political backdrop. In June, the French cabinet pledged to reinterpret maritime law to allow police to intercept migrant boats within 300 metres of the coast, a measure seen as a potential gamechanger amid over 32,000 crossings this year. French police say they will not act without assurances on protection, training, and equipment. Hewitt met the French secretary-general to press for delivery and cited frustration over delays. Channel deaths rose sharply last winter.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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