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| Trump urged Spain to 'build a wall' across Sahara, says minister | Trump urged Spain to 'build a wall' across Sahara, says minister |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| President Trump recommended building a wall across the Sahara to solve Europe's migrant crisis, Spain's foreign minister says. | President Trump recommended building a wall across the Sahara to solve Europe's migrant crisis, Spain's foreign minister says. |
| Josep Borrell, also a former President of the European Parliament, disagreed with the strategy. | Josep Borrell, also a former President of the European Parliament, disagreed with the strategy. |
| The comments came during a visit Mr Borrell made to the US at the end of June. | The comments came during a visit Mr Borrell made to the US at the end of June. |
| Mr Trump's pledge to build a wall between the US and Mexico was one of his best-known election promises. | Mr Trump's pledge to build a wall between the US and Mexico was one of his best-known election promises. |
| Mr Borrell recounted his conversation with the US president at a lunch event in Madrid this week, Spain's foreign ministry confirmed to the BBC. | Mr Borrell recounted his conversation with the US president at a lunch event in Madrid this week, Spain's foreign ministry confirmed to the BBC. |
| "The border with the Sahara cannot be bigger than our border with Mexico," Mr Borrell quoted Mr Trump as saying. | "The border with the Sahara cannot be bigger than our border with Mexico," Mr Borrell quoted Mr Trump as saying. |
| The US-Mexico border is 1,954 miles (3,145 km) long. The Sahara desert stretches for 3,000 miles. | The US-Mexico border is 1,954 miles (3,145 km) long. The Sahara desert stretches for 3,000 miles. |
| Spain has no sovereignty over the Sahara, but it does possess two small enclaves on the north African coast, Ceuta and Melilla, separated from Morocco by controversial wire fences. | Spain has no sovereignty over the Sahara, but it does possess two small enclaves on the north African coast, Ceuta and Melilla, separated from Morocco by controversial wire fences. |
| The enclaves have become magnets for African migrants seeking a better life in Europe and refugees fleeing persecution and conflict. | |
| Since January of this year, 35,000 migrants arrived in Spain, the highest number received by any EU country. | Since January of this year, 35,000 migrants arrived in Spain, the highest number received by any EU country. |