France reintroduces border checks ahead of UN climate talks
France has reintroduced border checks as part of its security-tightening measures ahead of UN climate talks. The Cop21 Paris climate conference opens on 30 November in the French capital.
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With more than 115 heads of state and government expected to attend the conference at Le Bourget just outside of Paris, the French government is taking steps to minimise the risks.
Authorities say they are putting controls in place at 285 road, rail, sea and air border points from now until December 13th. That's two days after the conference closes.
It is said 30,000 police will be involved in the operation.
According to AFP, French security sources are paying particular attention to militant ecologist protesters, as well as certain extreme-left militant groups. At the same time, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has said authorities are also preparing for the possibility of terrorist threats, though he hasn't disclosed any specific information in this regard.
France is part of Europe's border-free Schengen zone, which right now is under tremendous pressure from the biggest migrant crisis since the Second World War. France says it's able to temporarily abandon its commitments under the Schengen agreement in special circumstances, such as hosting these climate talks.
The conference aims to agree a new legally-binding global pact to fight climate warming.
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