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France to introduce border control if needed: French PM

Xinhua, September 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

France "won't hesitate" to re-establish border controls "in the coming days or weeks" to stem an unprecedented influx of refugees triggered by worsening civil wars in Africa and the Middle East, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Wednesday.

"We have temporally re-introduced border controls at the Italian frontier during the spring. And we will not hesitate to do it again if necessary in the coming days or weeks as the Schengen rules allow that whenever circumstances require," Valls told lawmakers.

Earlier this week, French President Francois Hollande said Paris and Berlin "are extremely insistent" that border control centers be set up in Greece, Italy and Hungary, a day after Germany reintroduced border controls on its southern border with Austria to curb thousands of asylum seekers knocking on its doors every day.

Hollande also pledged to take in 24,000 refugees over the next two years, as a new batch of migrants arrived in Parisian suburbs last Friday.

Addressing the National Assembly, Valls said the government devoted 279 million euros (315.5 million U.S. dollars) by the end of next year to finance refugees' emergency accommodation. It planned to allocate additional 334 million euros in 2017.

"The solidarity is to guarantee the refugees' welcome, without deteriorating the situation of our citizens who need help," he added.

Valls also announced the creation of 900 posts of police officers to secure frontiers and the fight against illegal migration.

At an emergency meeting on Monday, interior ministers from the EU's 28 member states failed to agree on compulsory quotas to redistribute about 160,000 refugees across the European bloc.

"Several countries, however, refused today to play the game. This is unacceptable. These countries also forget their own history and the men and women who were welcomed in France when they themselves fled dictatorship and communist persecution," Valls said.

"Everyone must assume its share of responsibility, depending on its ability. Solidarity is needed for everyone. Otherwise, it is the meaning itself of the European project that will collapse," he said. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars) Endit