France Wants Compensation From U.K. for Handling Calais Migrants

(Bloomberg) -- France is pushing the U.K. to contribute more toward the cost of handling migrants camped out in Northern France who are seeking to cross over to England, an aide to President Emmanuel Macron said Monday.

Macron has insisted the subject be discussed at a French-British summit this Thursday at the Sandhurst military academy near London, the aide said. France also wants to discuss how to better handle minors traveling alone, and how to improve the asylum procedures.

The president travels to the port of Calais and other towns in Northern France Tuesday to visit migrant centers and talk to local government leaders and associations. Between 300 and 500 people are camped around Calais, mostly Afghans and Africans, and French authorities have effectively sealed the border to prevent them reaching the U.K., the aide said.

©2018 Bloomberg L.P.