TV news report: Finland to send border guards to Canary Islands

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Finland is reportedly giving a positive response to Spain’s request to countries of the European Union to send border guards to the Canary Islands to help deal with a flood of illegal immigrants there.
      The Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) reported in a television news broadcast on Thursday that Finland plans to send personnel trained in debriefing new arrivals, as well as a Dornier air surveillance plane and crew to the Spanish islands off the west coast of Africa.
      Last week Spain appealed to the European Union for urgent aid in border security after a flood of boats full of African immigrants started arriving on the shores of the islands.
      According to the news report, Finland is ready to send border guard personnel to Spain already within a month.
     
In addition to Finland, a number of other EU countries, including France, Britain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Germany, The Netherlands, and Austria have intially taken a positive view of Spain’s request.
      If the operation is implemented, it would be the first time that Finnish have been deployed to help another country in patrolling its borders.
      It would also be the first time that the EU’s Border Management Agency implements a concrete operation. The agency has asked EU governments to respond to the request by today, Friday.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland considers aid to Spain to stop illegal immigration (30.5.2006)

Helsingin Sanomat