Share

Macron, Merkel hold talks on Brexit and other EU issues

Share

PARIS (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized Wednesday that the European Union’s remaining members are unwilling to renegotiate a Brexit agreement the British government accepted but lawmakers have refused to approve.

Merkel was in Paris to discuss Brexit, relations with the United States and other European issues with the French president. With the U.K. leaving the EU, the two have positioned France and Germany as the logical drivers of the bloc’s future.

“The Franco-German relationship is the necessary condition to make Europe move forward,” Macron said during a joint news conference with Merkel.

Britain’s departure is set to take effect on March 29. The absence of an approved agreement on the withdrawal and future relations has created deep concerns of possible economic, transportation and trade chaos from a “no-deal” Brexit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said Tuesday that Parliament will get a chance to vote on whether to ask the EU for a postponement of Brexit day. All member countries would have to approve a delay.

Joined by Merkel, Macron said Britain would need a good reason for pushing back its scheduled exit.

Any delay request would need to be justified by “a clear perspective on the goal,” he said. “We don’t need time, we need decisions.”

“If Britain needs a bit more time, we will not refuse that, but we are aiming for an orderly solution — an orderly withdrawal by the British from the European Union,” Merkel said.

The two leaders reiterated the withdrawal agreement the EU won’t renegotiate the divorce deal it reached with the British government in November.

Macron and Merkel said they wanted to strengthen defense cooperation between their countries, including developing a Franco-German arms industry and a common stance on weapons exports.

In January, they signed a pact to renew a pledge of peace and friendship Germany and France too decades ago to bury the bitterness from World War II. The new pact deals with increased cooperation in the areas of foreign and defense policy, fighting crime and terrorism, international development and research.

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation