Cameron to 'minimize' immigrants to UK

[SinoIndusFriendship]

Cameron to 'minimize' immigrants to UK
Fri, 21 May 2010 15:57:22 GMT
Cameron to 'minimize' immigrants to UK

British Prime Minister David Cameron speaks during the launch of the Government Programme Coalition Agreement in London on May 20, 2010.
New British Prime Minister David Cameron says he will impose an annual limit on the number of non-EU immigrants admitted into Britain, a report says.

According to All Headline News (AHN), the cap on the number of immigrants coming into Britain is likely to affect Indian professionals along with trade and industry in the country.

The Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats had already agreed on the issue in principal, but the coalition government released the full text of the official agreement on May 21.

The government's newly launched coalition program seeks to impose "new measures to minimize abuse of the immigration system, for example via student routes, and will tackle human trafficking as a priority," although it believes "immigration has enriched our culture and strengthened our economy," AHN reported.

The Conservative Party hopes the new policy will reduce the total number of immigrants to Britain, which now stands at around 150,000, to the level of the 1990s, around 70,000.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 4.9 million people who live in Britain, 8.3 percent of the total population, were born overseas. This is more than double the 2.1 million (4.2 percent) in 1951.

RBK/MD

 

[SinoIndusFriendship]

UK defence secretary insults Afghans
Mon, 24 May 2010 03:52:24 GMT

General Stanley McChrystal (L) shakes hand with Andrew Mitchell, Hague and Fox (centre)/Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA


UK Defence Secretary Liam Fox has branded Afghanistan "a broken 13th-century country," sparking fury in a country where thousands of British troops are stationed.

During an interview with The Times which was published on Saturday, Fox made the controversial statement in reference to making a distinction between the British military and humanitarian aims in Afghanistan.

He proclaimed, "We are not in Afghanistan for the sake of the education policy in a broken 13th-century country. We are there so the people of Britain and our global interests are not threatened."

Fox went on to state, "We can't afford to see Afghanistan roll backwards into a failed state that could become a base from which terrorist campaigns can be launched anywhere in the world."

The interview was published as Fox headed to Afghanistan's Helmand province, accompanied by Foreign Secretary William Hague and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell. Afghan President Hamid Karzai expressed indignation at his remarks during a meeting with the British officials.

A senior Afghan government spokesman asserted that the comments showed a lack of "mutual respect" and "trust" on the part of the British government, and went on to say, "We see Britain as still a colonial, orientalist and racist country that they should have this view. Dr. Fox really believes what he said, and he is not alone. London and Kabul must move on or things will be more difficult."

LF/TG/MMA