2023-11-02 16:09:57
British Interior Minister Suella Braverman and Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) signed a cooperation agreement in Vienna on Thursday that will bring bilateral police cooperation “to the cutting edge of technology,” as Karner said followingwards at a press conference with his counterpart. He particularly mentioned the area of cybercrime. Other focal points of the meeting were the fight once morest terrorism and migration policy.
“The cross-border work of the police and the services” is particularly necessary in the fight once morest terrorism, “and this intensive and necessary exchange of information is also a central element of our cooperation agreement,” said Karner. Braverman spoke of an agreement that would further consolidate and expand bilateral cooperation, particularly in areas such as organized crime, cybersecurity, radicalization and extremism. “These are common goals and ones through which we can exchange know-how and mutually benefit from working more closely together,” said the conservative politician.
Karner named the “fight once morest illegal migration” and asylum procedures outside Europe through cooperation with safe third countries, countries of origin and transit as another central topic of the first personal meeting between the two ministers. Despite significant declines, the number of asylum applications in Austria is still high. “That’s why it’s so important that we take measures here too.” Great Britain and Denmark are developing corresponding models for asylum procedures outside Europe, which are of interest in this context and which he has also discussed with his counterpart. Karner advocated discussing at the European level “how we change the rules” to enable cooperation with third countries.
Illegal migration is an issue that affects many countries, said Braverman, who also spoke of Austria taking a “robust approach” here in the EU. The minister pointed out that the Supreme Court in London is currently dealing with the British government’s plans for asylum procedures in Rwanda. A decision is expected this year.
The British government is confident in the legality of its plans: “We believe it is a humane and fair approach to solving the global migration crisis and we are making progress in tackling the challenge of small boats and illegal migration in the UK .” Of course, the problem is far from being solved, said the minister, who also emphasized the importance of combating smuggling crime.
The Conservative government’s plans in London stipulate that people who have entered the United Kingdom irregularly can be deported to Rwanda in East Africa in order to apply for asylum there. There are no plans to return to the UK.
In June, a majority of judges at an appeal court in London ruled that Rwanda might not be considered a safe third country. The reason is deficiencies in the asylum procedure there. It cannot be ruled out that those seeking protection from Rwanda would be deported back to their home countries even though they are entitled to asylum. The judges therefore declared the project unlawful. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government appealed once morest this.
Braverman said she has visited Rwanda several times. “In my opinion, Rwanda is a safe country.” The UK’s partnership with Rwanda is a humanitarian one that can ultimately deter people from making dangerous crossings such as those across the English Channel.
The focus of the conversation between the two ministers was also on the topics of extremism, radicalism and terrorism. Braverman said it was an honor to be able to remember the victims together on the anniversary of the Vienna attack.
During their appearance before the press, Braverman and Karner also once once more condemned Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and the desecration of Jewish institutions in European countries. As a “clear signal,” a joint visit to the Vienna City Temple was on the program. The British Home Secretary said her country had seen a 1,000 percent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the past three weeks alone. In response to a corresponding question regarding the security precautions in Austria, Karner emphasized that it is a “constant process”, a constant assessment between the intelligence services and the police and also with the Jewish community as to where measures should be taken.
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