Council of Europe blasts France for failed promises to Syrian refugees

Ramin Mazaheri
Press TV, Paris

A new report by the Council of Europe has blasted France for failing to live up to its public promises of granting humanitarian asylum to Syrian refugees.

France’s involvement in the Syrian crisis is well-documented: They are Europe’s leading supplier of arms, money and political support to militants fighting against President Bashar Al-Assad. President Francois Hollande has repeatedly refused to attend diplomatic talks, undermining efforts at peace.

But despite France’s significant role in the creation of over 3 million refugees, France has only awarded 500 Syrians asylum on humanitarian grounds.

Some 2,000 refugees live in a shantytown called ‘the Jungle’ in the northern port city of Calais. The refugees have rioted over the poor treatment and discrimination they suffer at the hands of French and English authorities, and have even been forced to camp in the total isolation of nearby forests.

Despite the continuing humanitarian crisis, France has given no indication of living up to its promises to aid the Syrian people.
France is not alone: Since 2011 the United States has only accepted 500 Syrian refugees, and the United Kingdom even fewer. In 2013 all three of these nations seriously considered bombing Damascus, which would have exacerbated the refugee crisis even further.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir