UK, France Sign Treaty To Protect People On English Channel Ferries From Terrorist Attacks

The United Kingdom and France signed on Monday a new treaty that would allow security forces from both countries to coordinate actions in response to an eventual terrorist attack on board passenger ferries and other large vessels in the English Channel, the UK Foreign Office said in a statement

LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th July, 2021) The United Kingdom and France signed on Monday a new treaty that would allow security forces from both countries to coordinate actions in response to an eventual terrorist attack on board passenger ferries and other large vessels in the English Channel, the UK Foreign Office said in a statement.

The UK-France Maritime Security Treaty between the UK Home Office and France's General Secretariat for Defence and National Security was inked in Paris during a meeting between UK Foreign and Defense secretaries, Dominic Raab and Ben Wallace, respectively, and their French counterparts.

"As close allies it is vital the UK and France work together to protect our citizens and values. Today's signing of the UK-France Maritime Security Treaty will reinforce our ability to jointly respond swiftly and effectively to terrorist threats in the Channel," Raab said in a statement.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel was quoted saying that for her, the protection of the public and the UK citizens was paramount.

"The intelligence and security tools this new cooperation provides will give law enforcement and our emergency responders the additional support they need to protect us all," Patel stressed.

The accord, which will take effect as soon as it is ratified by both countries, will enable the UK and France to share information concerning potential security threats, mount swifter and stronger initial responses to serious security incidents and coordinate more efficient joint responses.

It will also allow joint intervention by UK and French security forces to work side by side to keep people safe and cooperate more effectively in the aftermath of an attack or incident.

The UK Foreign Office noted, however, that the new treaty is not intended to tackle illegal migration, which has seen this year a record number of people taking the perilous route on board small boats to seek asylum in the UK, adding that on this regard, other initiatives and agreements are either in place or in development.

The meeting between the UK Foreign and Defense ministers and their French counterparts also covered key security and foreign policy issues including new fields of cooperation on emerging technologies, European security, security in Africa and the Levant, and the joint work concerning China, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific region.