Hollande: France to dismantle Calais migrant camp 'completely and definitively'

CALAIS , France, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- French President Francois Hollande outlined plans to dismantled Calais' controversial migrant camp during a visit to the city Monday.

Last week Hollande called on authorities to shut down the 40-acre encampment in Calais, near the English Channel, nicknamed "The Jungle." An estimated 9,000 migrants, largely from the Middle East, reside there in squalid conditions, and the camp is regarded as an illegal entry point to Britain.

Hollande said Friday the Calais camp will be dismantled with migrants transferred to 140 reception centers across France.

"We must dismantle the camp completely and definitively," he said.

"From now on our objectives are clear, to guarantee the security of the people of Calais, maintain public order and ensure for the migrants and refugees conditions are dignified," he said, adding the government would protect immigrants "as much as necessary." After transfer to reception centers, those qualifying for asylum will be allowed to stay, the others deported.

Hollande also called on Britain to honor agreements on managing a flow of migrants to Britain.

"I also want to restate my determination that the British authorities play their part in the humanitarian effort that France is undertaking and that they continue to do that in the future."

The migration has been a sticking point in British-French relations for several years.