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Europe
France to spearhead EU asylum ban of Pakistanis
2003-10-20
Taking the threats of Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden to widen the spread of extremist attacks quite seriously, the French Government has said that it will use its influence to convince other members of the European Union (EU) not to encourage moves to grant political asylum to Pakistani residents.
[Insert obligatory piggy squeal about profiling and discrimination]
Inaugurating the first day of the G-5 anti-terrorism summit at the French resort city of La Baule on Sunday, French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy was quoted by the Dawn newspaper as saying that Paris is taking Osama’s threats issued on Arab satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera "very seriously". The summit has been convened to take decisions on the security future of the European Union, and will notably issue a list of the "sure countries" from which candidates for political asylum in the EU will now be refused authorization to reside in the present 15 European countries, and, as of next year, the 25 member EU states.
"If you can't behave in your own countries, why should we expect you to behave in ours?"
According to the paper, an international colloquium was held recently in Paris on immigration and population flows in which it was revealed that the European continent will see even more immigration in the coming years than it has in its recent history. The colloquium also revealed that at present there are over 40 million immigrants in mainland Europe alone, with eight million in France, of which five million are Visigoths Muslims.
Posted by:rg117

#14  NMM, London is where we can see them. We follow them from london to their real bases in Pakland and Afghanistan. Besides, if you want Al-Quaeda, you go to Iran. Everybody knows that.
Posted by: Charles   2003-10-20 11:01:25 PM  

#13  If France could dictate British policy there would be fewer crazy ass Islamonutz in London--but the UK has opened the gates and the "Empire" has come home to roost--if we want to get Al Qaeda--look in London first
Posted by: NotMikeMoore   2003-10-20 10:42:15 PM  

#12  OP, that's what my reaction was, too. Britain has a relatively high rate of immigration from Pakistan, and has had for decades. However, I suspect the naming of Pakistan is due to the fact that this article is from Yahoo India News. It seems France has drawn up a list of safe countries, of which Pakistan is but one. I don't think there's necessarily anything political about it.
Posted by: Bulldog   2003-10-20 7:20:24 PM  

#11  French students don't agitate for people fighting tyrannies except when they go against the USA.
In France there are two kinds of students: the people of the "grandes ecoles" ie future engineers and MBAs who got there with a very difficult exam and don't agitate, on the other side you have universities who are open to every one (graduating is another thing, 80% are bumped after the first year) where between the people in first and second year you have lots of people who are doing far more agitation and practical sexology than studying. Universities tend to be very red and
grandes ecoles far more right wing.
Posted by: JFM   2003-10-20 6:04:39 PM  

#10   For an example of why French proposal on no political asylum has nothing to do with immigration;what would happen if Iran really cracks down on students and hundreds of decent,articulate Iranian students claim political asylum in France?If EU policy states no pol.asylum,no problem.But if it has to be France
which decides,big problem.Either refuse asylum and be condemned for selling out freedom-seeking kids to be killed by a cruel tyrrany,or grant asylum and have students constantly agitating for France to take action against Iran,with world press looking on and interviewing students.
Posted by: Stephen   2003-10-20 2:54:52 PM  

#9   This is NOT an attempt to stop immigration of Muslims.He only wants to stop those from claiming political asylum from entering.Since most claiming political asylum are opposed to native counrty's government,this is another way for France to suck up to Islamic govt.'s.Furthermore,
it's very difficult to kick out those who have received pol.asylum-bad press(meanies are sending XYZ to his death),etc.Immigrants who come on economic visa's,who sneak in can be kicked out much easier if it becomes desirable-bad economy means no jobs available,they are breaking laws,whatever excuse is plausible.Finally,this gives appearance French govt. is taking action,
which helps out domestic politics,where French govt. is under pressure.
Posted by: Stephen   2003-10-20 2:41:55 PM  

#8  Economically speaking, won't the poorest nation in the EU tend to be the gateway for illegal immigration?
Posted by: Super Hose   2003-10-20 12:43:05 PM  

#7  This is going to make it difficult for Britain. Pakland is still a member of the British Commonwealth, and IFAIK, still able to go to Britain quite easily. Is France trying to dictate British foreign policy? Sure sounds like it could be interpreted that way. Bulldog, you there???
Posted by: Old Patriot   2003-10-20 12:32:31 PM  

#6  At least Sarkozy is not as "kozy" with Mahathir's polemics as Chirac is. In fact, he is a breath of fresh air in France. This is not the first little skirmish he has initiated with the French muslim community. He wants them to be "more French" which I am ambievalent about since I don't know what's worse - being Muslim or being "more French".
Posted by: Jack is Back!   2003-10-20 12:19:18 PM  

#5  "You sure you're Finnish, Mr... ummm... Mahmoud? You don't look Finnish."
Posted by: Fred   2003-10-20 12:07:03 PM  

#4  Why not just stop accepting Pak passports? Yemeni too.
Posted by: mojo   2003-10-20 11:26:53 AM  

#3  Well this is reassuring. Closing the door on them in Europe can only mean that some idiot(s) here in the U.S. is going to clamor that we should take up the slack.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2003-10-20 10:47:43 AM  

#2  Pakistan, huh? Maybe the French want to do a quick review of the various nationalities we have jugged in Gitmo.
Posted by: Patrick Phillips   2003-10-20 8:30:32 AM  

#1  Well, I guess you gotta get serious about the problem some time, maybe before the first two million radical moslems made it there and setup housekeeping.
Posted by: badanov   2003-10-20 8:15:50 AM  

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