Spain and France to combat terrorism, illegal immigration (Roundup)

Apr 28, 2009, 13:56 GMT

Madrid - Spain and France on Tuesday agreed to step up cooperation against terrorism, illegal immigration, drug trafficking and money-laundering.

Bilateral cooperation against the militant Basque separatist group ETA was a 'good model' that was now being extended to other security areas, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said after meeting French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Madrid.

Terrorism should not be considered as different from other types of crime, Sarkozy said.

The two countries signed a declaration stipulating the establishment of a joint security committee to plan and coordinate measures such as increasing the exchange of information on Islamist extremists operating on the internet.

Madrid and Paris will also intensify the fight against illegal immigration, staging joint operations to detain illegals, to fly them home, to identify their countries of origin, and to seek repatriation agreements with those countries.

Joint police units will pursue drug traffickers, targeting speedy drug transport operations through Spain and France.

France pledged assistance to Spain's European Union presidency in the first half of 2010, and backed Spain's aspirations to join the Group of 20 (G20).

In a speech to Spanish parliament, Sarkozy pledged that Spain could always 'count on' France in the fight against the 'killers' of ETA.

French police cooperation has been crucial to Spain in the fight against ETA, a group listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States, which has killed more than 800 people over the past four decades.

ETA, which wants to create a Basque state out of northern Spain and southern France, has most of its logistical support based in France.

Sarkozy's visit to Spain came about 10 days after the arrest of Jurdan Martitegi, ETA's third military leader to be detained in France in just five months.

Disagreements between Spain and France were described by analysts as being limited to only a few questions, including Spain's clear support for Turkey's eventual EU membership and opposition to the independence of Kosovo.

Sarkozy arrived in Spain on Monday for a two-day state visit. dpa st sc Spain-Diplomacy/France/ ROUNDUP: Spain and France to combat terrorism, illegal immigration =

Madrid (dpa) - Spain and France on Tuesday agreed to step up cooperation against terrorism, illegal immigration, drug trafficking and money-laundering.

Bilateral cooperation against the militant Basque separatist group ETA was a 'good model' that was now being extended to other security areas, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said after meeting French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Madrid.

Terrorism should not be considered as different from other types of crime, Sarkozy said.

The two countries signed a declaration stipulating the establishment of a joint security committee to plan and coordinate measures such as increasing the exchange of information on Islamist extremists operating on the internet.

Madrid and Paris will also intensify the fight against illegal immigration, staging joint operations to detain illegals, to fly them home, to identify their countries of origin, and to seek repatriation agreements with those countries.

Joint police units will pursue drug traffickers, targeting speedy drug transport operations through Spain and France.

France pledged assistance to Spain's European Union presidency in the first half of 2010, and backed Spain's aspirations to join the Group of 20 (G20).

In a speech to Spanish parliament, Sarkozy pledged that Spain could always 'count on' France in the fight against the 'killers' of ETA.

French police cooperation has been crucial to Spain in the fight against ETA, a group listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States, which has killed more than 800 people over the past four decades.

ETA, which wants to create a Basque state out of northern Spain and southern France, has most of its logistical support based in France.

Sarkozy's visit to Spain came about 10 days after the arrest of Jurdan Martitegi, ETA's third military leader to be detained in France in just five months.

Disagreements between Spain and France were described by analysts as being limited to only a few questions, including Spain's clear support for Turkey's eventual EU membership and opposition to the independence of Kosovo.

Sarkozy arrived in Spain on Monday for a two-day state visit.