Off the wire
• Ukraine joins Trans-Caspian Int'l Transport Route  • Philippines' vice president camp slams gov't for rushed spending in last days in office  • Singapore's first Zika patient discharged from communicable diseases centre  • Chaos erupts in S. Africa parliament as Zuma answers questions  • China's Guangdong Province looks to boost ties with Mexico  • Kenya launches policy to enhance mental health response  • Bangladesh needs to shift towards high-value agriculture: report  • Fighting against terrorists top priority in Syria: Russian FM  • Chinese president receives credentials of 12 ambassadors  • Senior CPC leader calls for closer Europe ties  
You are here: 　 Home

1st LD Writethru: Denmark reaching parallel agreement with EU on Europol not optimistic

Xinhua, May 17, 2016 Adjust font size:

It will be difficult or perhaps impossible for Denmark to reach a parallel agreement on Europol with the EU, the President of the European Council Donald Tusk said here Tuesday.

Tusk made the remarks at a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen during his visit to the country.

He however noted that a Danish parallel agreement is among the EU's political priorities.

"It is one of our priorities. Because it is also a matter which is important for other countries than Denmark," Tusk said.

Danes voted "No" in EU justice opt-out referendum end of last year, and therefore the country will have to leave the EU's law enforcement agency Europol when the new regulations for the organization enter into force on May 1, 2017, unless a parallel agreement can be reached for continuing the cooperation.

Rasmussen argued that Denmark and Europe have a common interest in fighting terrorism. "This could mean that we will find a solution after all."

He urged that a solution should be found in the summer or in early autumn to ensure Denmark's continued participation in Europol.

At the press conference, Tusk also pointed out that the closure of the Western Balkan route and the agreement with Turkey have had a dramatic effect on the number of refugees.

According to Tusk, the number of illegal migrants arriving at the Greek islands in April declined by 90 percent as compared to March.

He however stressed that the refugee crisis is not thereby solved.

"We still have hard work ahead of us, and we must be very aware of alternative routes... We can and must do more."

Together with Rasmussen, Tusk will after the meeting in Copenhagen pay a visit to Greenland where they will discuss climate change and the EU's Arctic strategy with the Prime Minister of Greenland Kim Kielsen.

"It is positive that the EU has now sharpened its focus on the Arctic, and it is obviously an agenda Greenland and Denmark have great interest in," Rasmussen said in a statement. Endit