News : US News : Possible compromise in Dutch crisis

Possible compromise in Dutch crisis

Wednesday, 13-Dec-2006 09:20PM EDT
Story from United Press International. Copyright 2006 by United Press International (via ClariNet)

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- An apparent compromise was worked out in Amsterdam Wednesday, possibly ending a government standoff between Parliament and a hard-line immigration minister.

Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk said earlier Wednesday she would not honor Parliament's vote to give amnesty to 26,000 illegal immigrants who failed asylum requests but were in the country longer than five years, the BBC reported.

She said she would not even agree to a 24-hour freeze and vowed to deport them all, even though they had entered the country before tougher immigration laws were introduced in 2001.

Parliament then censured her, but she refused to step down.

Late Wednesday, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende told Parliament Verdonk agreed to turn over some of her duties to a colleague who would halt deportations, but she would remain in her position.

Parliament members did not respond as of late Wednesday.

On the eve of the Netherlands' Nov. 22 elections, Verdonk threatened to ban the Muslim burqa throughout the country.

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