Sangatte refugee camp to close within a year

France and Britain have agreed that the controversial Sangatte refugee camp could close by April next year providing Britain implements legislation to discourage illegal immigration. The UK government complains that the Red Cross camp near the French entrance to the Channel Tunnel is a jumping off point for illegal immigrants travelling to Britain.

"The Sangatte centre will close three to six months after the coming into force of new laws and policies in the UK," the two sides said in a statement after a meeting between their interior ministers in Paris.

"This will mean that it could close in December (2002) or in the first quarter of next year."

Scores of asylum seekers at the camp, which houses around 1,200 Afghans and Kurds, launch nightly sorties to the nearby channel tunnel rail terminal and try to board freight trains heading to Britain.

British Home Secretary David Blunkett said that by choking off the route, a strong message would go out to those behind illegal immigration.