Post date: Sep 06, 2010 7:18:9 PM
Ministers from seven of the 10 countries worldwide that receive the most applications for asylum meet in Paris to discuss the fight against illegal immigration.
PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 6, 2010) REUTERS - Ministers from seven of the world's top asylum destinations gathered in Paris on Monday (September 6) to discuss the fight against illegal immigration, while France defended itself over its recent crackdown on illegal Roma camps and the return of about 1,000 people to Romania.
Ministers or secretaries of state from France, Italy, Britain, Greece, Belgium, Germany and Canada were present at the meeting, representing seven out of the 10 top nations for asylum applications.
Combined, they accounted for 183,440 asylum applications in 2009, according to documentation released at the meeting. Of those, Belgium, Germany, and France, saw increases of 40, 25 and 18 percent respectively, while applications to other countries were down sharply.
The meeting discussed ways of better aligning asylum systems and how to crack down on illegal immigration, a statement said.
It came at a time when France is mired in controversy over this summer's crackdown on Roma camps, something French Immigration Minister Luc Besson defended to journalists.
"There was an acceleration in August. We scrupulously respected Community law, scrupulously respected French law and we scrupulously respected our Republican principles: firmness and humanity," Besson said.
James Brokenshire, a secretary of state at the UK's Home Office, said the countries had to work closely together: "Very much it is about practical cooperation and that has been the underlying theme between all of the discussions that we have had during the course of this morning's meeting."
Roberto Maroni, Italy's interior minister, defended expulsions of Roma from his country similar to those from France and called on European countries to implement existing rules governing how long EU citizens can stay in other countries more efficiently.
"I think we have to work to make the rules that already exist more efficient: no threats, no negotiations, no special negotiations between members of the European Union," he told reporters.
A United Nations human rights body rebuked France recently for its crackdown on Roma and urged the government to try to integrate members of the EU's biggest ethnic minority as part of a Europe-wide solution.
18 independent experts urged Sarkozy's centre-right government to combat what they called a worrying rise in racist and xenophobic discourse by some politicians.