France Rejects UK Proposal for Joint Patrols in English Channel

France Rejects UK Proposal for Joint Patrols in English Channel
France's Prime Minister Jean Castex speaks during a joint press conference with his Belgium counterpart after a bilateral ministerial meeting in Brussels, on Nov. 22, 2021. John Thys/AFP via Getty Images
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France has formally rejected the UK government’s call for joint patrols on the French coast to prevent illegal immigrants from crossing the English Channel in small boats.

In a letter to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said his government “cannot accept” the presence of British personnel because it would compromise French sovereignty.