The UN's top refugee official will meet France's interior minister in Geneva on Thursday to discuss a UN offer to help resolve a refugee row between France and Britain.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Mr Ruud Lubbers is expected to hold talks with Mr Nicolas Sarkozy at the UN's European headquarters.
"This is in reaction to UNHCR's offer made in the United Kingdom last week to offer our good offices on Sangatte and try and help resolve the Sangatte situation," a UN spokesman said.
Britain has repeatedly called on France to close the Sangatte centre, which is close to the Channel Tunnel. Critics of the camp say would-be immigrants use it as a starting point for attempts to reach Britain illegally.
Mr Sarkozy said last month he supported closing the camp, but only once Britain toughens its asylum laws.
Mr Lubbers, a former Dutch prime minister, told a British newspaper on Saturday that the agency would be prepared to "screen" the 1,500 residents of the camp near Calais to assess which were genuine refugees.
AFP