This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/18/us-eu-bond-enduring-unbreakable-john-kerry-brexit
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| US-EU bond is enduring and unbreakable, John Kerry says | US-EU bond is enduring and unbreakable, John Kerry says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The US will maintain an “enduring and unbreakable” partnership with the European Union, according to the US secretary of state, John Kerry, while Boris Johnson insisted Britain was not abandoning its “leading role” in Europe. | |
| Kerry spoke after meeting the EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, and the EU’s 28 foreign ministers in Brussels, including Johnson, who made his debut on the world stage as the UK’s top diplomat. | Kerry spoke after meeting the EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, and the EU’s 28 foreign ministers in Brussels, including Johnson, who made his debut on the world stage as the UK’s top diplomat. |
| The agenda was dominated by the failed military coup in Turkey and terrorism, following the attack in Nice on Bastille Day. | The agenda was dominated by the failed military coup in Turkey and terrorism, following the attack in Nice on Bastille Day. |
| The US was a major supporter of Britain’s continued EU membership but has been at pains to show that diplomatic ties with Europe will not be knocked off course by Brexit. | |
| In a rousing tribute to the EU, touching on the history of the second world war, Kerry said the EU-US relationship was strong and would remain so in the future. “It is enduring and it is unbreakable,” Kerry said, noting his visit on Sunday to the US military cemetery in Luxembourg, where more than 5,000 American soldiers are buried. | |
| “I ask anyone who questions the importance of the EU or its relationship with the United States to never forget, not just the history that I articulated, but the increase of prosperity, the rise in the standard of living, the better healthcare, the better education opportunities, the better promotion and protection of rights throughout the EU as a consequence of what we have done together.” | |
| The Brexit vote had created uncertainty, he said, while adding that all sides – the US, the UK and the EU – had an interest in “the smoothest possible transition”. “We are collaborating now as intensely and as widely as we ever have and I am convinced we will continue to do that.” | |
| Kerry’s impassioned tribute to the importance of working with the EU was in striking contrast to Johnson, who recently compared its goals to those of Adolf Hitler. | |
| Arriving at the meeting on Monday, Johnson struck a different tone from that he adopted during the campaign. He stressed that Britain’s decision to leave the EU “in no sense means that we are leaving Europe”, nor “abandoning our leading role in European co-operation and participation of all kinds”. | |
| Johnson was on his first outing as the UK’s foreign secretary, and it was a meeting that brought him to the same table as his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, who has accused the former mayor of London of lying to the British people during the referendum campaign. | Johnson was on his first outing as the UK’s foreign secretary, and it was a meeting that brought him to the same table as his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, who has accused the former mayor of London of lying to the British people during the referendum campaign. |
| Ayrault said he had had a “frank, but useful” telephone call with Johnson on Saturday. “I will always speak to Boris Johnson with the greatest sincerity and frankness,” he said, adding that France had one goal: “to avoid Europe moving into a situation of uncertainty as regards the future of relations between Britain and Europe.” | |
| Kerry’s visit was said to be the first time a US secretary of state had attended a formal EU foreign affairs meeting. Speaking afterwards, he described the meeting as helpful and constructive, and suggested it was “something we ought to be doing on a regular basis”. Mogherini responded straight away with one word: “Deal.” | Kerry’s visit was said to be the first time a US secretary of state had attended a formal EU foreign affairs meeting. Speaking afterwards, he described the meeting as helpful and constructive, and suggested it was “something we ought to be doing on a regular basis”. Mogherini responded straight away with one word: “Deal.” |
| Related: You thought TTIP was dead? With Brexit we’ll get the same thing, on steroids | Nick Dearden | Related: You thought TTIP was dead? With Brexit we’ll get the same thing, on steroids | Nick Dearden |
| But ties may not always be so smooth. Kerry promised to visit Brussels in the coming months to press the case for TTIP, the transatlantic trade deal mired in controversy. TTIP remained “a high priority” for the president, Barack Obama, and had become even more important following the Brexit vote, Kerry said. | But ties may not always be so smooth. Kerry promised to visit Brussels in the coming months to press the case for TTIP, the transatlantic trade deal mired in controversy. TTIP remained “a high priority” for the president, Barack Obama, and had become even more important following the Brexit vote, Kerry said. |
| “TTIP actually becomes more important,” he said, suggesting it could be a counterweight to difficulties the UK might have in negotiating a trade deal with the EU. “[TTIP] has a very significant ability to act as a counter to whatever negatives may or may not ultimately attach themselves to whatever construct is negotiated between the UK and Europe.” | “TTIP actually becomes more important,” he said, suggesting it could be a counterweight to difficulties the UK might have in negotiating a trade deal with the EU. “[TTIP] has a very significant ability to act as a counter to whatever negatives may or may not ultimately attach themselves to whatever construct is negotiated between the UK and Europe.” |
| Doubts are growing about TTIP after multiple rounds of inconclusive discussions. France has threatened to veto the deal and negotiations remain bogged down by disagreements. | |
| Kerry said he “respectfully disagreed” with people who said the deal could not go forward. “I think as people learn the facts there will be an important opportunity for us to take steps forward.” |