French President Francois Hollande announced Monday that his country over the next two years will accept 24,000 refugees fleeing the turmoil in the Middle East, while British Prime Minister announced a commitment of 20,000 refugees, by 2020.
“The whole country has been deeply moved by the heartbreaking scenes over the last few days,” Cameron announced in Parliament. “We must use our head and heart by pursuing a comprehensive approach to tackle the causes.”
“We are the only major company in the world that has promised to spend 0.7 per cent of our GDP on foreign aid. Our total contribution is £1 billion,” Cameron said.
Hollande accepted that France had a role in sheltering refugees, but warned that if every EU country does not contribute, it could lead to the collapse of the European continent’s open borders area, the Schengen.
“If there is not a united policy, this mechanism will not work, it will collapse, and it will lead to a considerable influx and undoubtedly the end of Schengen (and) the return of national borders,” Hollande said.
Simultaneously, Cameron announced today a drone strike in Syria against the Islamic State, which was apparently plotting a “barbaric” attack against the U.K.
Hollande stated that France was considering similar measures. “I have asked the defense minister that from tomorrow reconnaissance flights begin over Syria that will enable us to consider airstrikes against Islamic State,” he said, but he specifically ruled out ground troops in the war-ravaged nation, calling the idea “pointless and unrealistic,” the BBC reported.
