France, in letter to Boris Johnson, rejects joint border patrol in Channel

3/12/2021 6:45

        French Prime Minister Jean Castex told his British counterpart, Boris Johnson, that he rejected the idea of a joint British-French patrol in the English Channel
        to fight clandestine migration to Britain, a letter obtained by Reuters showed on Thursday.
        
        "France is ready to pursue our operational cooperation with the United Kingdom", the letter said, but added: "We cannot accept ... British police or military patrol on our coast. It's a matter of our sovereignty."
        
        Johnson last week suggested a joint coast patrol in a letter he sent to French President Emmanuel Macron -- and later published on Twitter -- after 27 migrants lost their lives in the Channel as they tried to reach British shores.
        
        Johnson's tweet caused outrage in France, leading to Macron telling London to "get serious."