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Brexit: Theresa May meeting Angela Merkel in Berlin Brexit: Theresa May says talks won't start in 2016
(35 minutes later)
Theresa May is in Berlin for her first talks since becoming UK prime minister with German chancellor Angela Merkel. Theresa May has said the UK will not begin official negotiations on leaving the EU this year as she held talks with Germany's Angela Merkel.
A guard of honour greeted Mrs May, who succeeded David Cameron a week ago. Speaking in Berlin, the UK PM said securing a "sensible and orderly departure" from the EU would take time.
Mrs May is expected to say the UK is in no rush to trigger the two year process of leaving the EU - and that continued strong trading links were vital. But she insisted the UK would not "walk away" from Europe and wanted to retain the "closest economic links".
Ahead of her first foreign visit as PM Downing Street announced it was to relinquish its upcoming six-month presidency of the Council of the EU. Mrs Merkel said the two sides desired to get the "best result for Britain" but urged more clarity from the UK.
Earlier, a military guard of honour greeted Mrs May, who succeeded David Cameron a week ago.
At a joint press conference, Mrs May said the UK was in no rush to trigger the two year process of leaving the EU - telling reporters that although "this would not please everyone", she said it was important that there was "clarity" on the UK's approach.
"We are taking some time to determine the principles and our objectives before we trigger the formal process of negotiation," she said.
'Special friend'
The process of preparing the UK for Brexit would require "serious and detailed work" but, irrespective of this, she said the UK was determined to maintain strong trading, economic and security links with Germany, which she described as "a vital partner and special friend".
Asked how they had got on at their first meeting, in which Mrs May said they were two women and leaders "who just wanted to get on with the job and deliver the best possible results for the people of the UK and Germany".
Mrs Merkel said that while she did expect there to be any formal negotiations at this stage, she hoped the UK would "define its principles" with regard to the formal Article 50 process.
"We have to listen to what Britain wants and find what the right answer is," she said, while suggesting that there was a need for a "certain timeline" with regard to Britain's exit.
"Britain does not want an impasse, Germany does not want an impasse and the EU does not want an impasse".
But the German chancellor said she was determined to proceed in the "spirit of unity and friendship" that characterised Anglo-German relations.
'Balance of power'
The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg said it was hard to believe that it was the first time that the two women had properly met as they seemed immediately at ease in each other's company and determined to build a personal relationship based on mutual trust.
But she said it was clear that Germany would hold the "balance of power" in the negotiations to come and although Mrs Merkel did want to make the UK's departure work, the UK's "leverage had really faded" following the decision to leave.
The two leaders will have a working dinner on Wednesday before Mrs May has talks with France's Francois Hollande on Thursday.The two leaders will have a working dinner on Wednesday before Mrs May has talks with France's Francois Hollande on Thursday.
The UK had been scheduled to take up the presidency of the Council of the EU - which rotates on a six-monthly basis between the 28 EU countries, giving each the opportunity to shape the agenda - in the second half of 2017.
But Mrs May has decided that Britain should skip its turn in the light of the Brexit vote in June's referendum
Mrs May told European Council President Donald Tusk - in her first conversation with him as PM - it was "the right thing to do given we will be very busy with negotiations to leave the EU", a Downing Street spokesman said.
Analysis by the BBC's Gavin HewittAnalysis by the BBC's Gavin Hewitt
The prime minister will meet a German chancellor who will have a huge influence on the outcome of Britain's future.The prime minister will meet a German chancellor who will have a huge influence on the outcome of Britain's future.
Angela Merkel's instincts are to be cautious. Angela Merkel's instincts are to be cautious. While some in Germany are impatient for Britain to start its negotiations quickly and for the EU to move on without Britain, Angela Merkel will be unemotional.
While some in Germany are impatient for Britain to start its negotiations quickly and for the EU to move on without Britain, Angela Merkel will be unemotional.
Where possible and without compromising the EU's basic values, she will seek a deal that is least disruptive to the EU.Where possible and without compromising the EU's basic values, she will seek a deal that is least disruptive to the EU.
The meeting with the French president will be more problematic. The meeting with the French president will be more problematic. Francois Hollande wants the UK to pay a price for leaving the EU. His instinct is partly driven by the need to undermine support for Marine Le Pen, who wants to hold a similar referendum in France.
Francois Hollande wants the UK to pay a price for leaving the EU. The French have also been openly lobbying UK banks and financial companies to relocate inside the eurozone and in particular to Paris. It has been a long-standing French interest to weaken the City of London.
His instinct is partly driven by the need to undermine support for Marine Le Pen, who wants to hold a similar referendum in France.
The French have also been openly lobbying UK banks and financial companies to relocate inside the eurozone and in particular to Paris.
It has been a long-standing French interest to weaken the City of London.
Read more from GavinRead more from Gavin
Ahead of the visit - Mrs May's first overseas trip as prime minister - Downing Street announced the UK was to relinquish its upcoming six-month presidency of the Council of the EU.
The UK had been scheduled to take up the presidency of the Council of the EU - which rotates on a six-monthly basis between the 28 EU countries, giving each the opportunity to shape the agenda - in the second half of 2017.
But Mrs May has decided that Britain should skip its turn in the light of the Brexit vote in June's referendum.
Mrs May told European Council President Donald Tusk - in her first conversation with him as PM - it was "the right thing to do given we will be very busy with negotiations to leave the EU", a Downing Street spokesman said.
Mrs May has already spoken to both Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande on the phone but their first face-to-face meetings over the next two days are seen as highly important in setting the tone for the long and hard negotiations over EU exit that lie ahead.Mrs May has already spoken to both Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande on the phone but their first face-to-face meetings over the next two days are seen as highly important in setting the tone for the long and hard negotiations over EU exit that lie ahead.
The prime minister has said she does not expect to commence formal negotiations before the end of the year as she consults with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments as well as business, industry and other stakeholders about the way ahead.The prime minister has said she does not expect to commence formal negotiations before the end of the year as she consults with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments as well as business, industry and other stakeholders about the way ahead.
While the German and French leaders have said the UK's vote to leave must be respected and Britain must be given time to formulate its negotiating strategy, both are facing re-election next year and under domestic political pressure to drive a hard bargain.While the German and French leaders have said the UK's vote to leave must be respected and Britain must be given time to formulate its negotiating strategy, both are facing re-election next year and under domestic political pressure to drive a hard bargain.
They have suggested no special exceptions can be made for Britain in terms of continued access to the EU's single market if, as Mrs May has insisted, the UK absents itself from freedom of movement rules.They have suggested no special exceptions can be made for Britain in terms of continued access to the EU's single market if, as Mrs May has insisted, the UK absents itself from freedom of movement rules.
Ahead of the visit, Downing Street said Mrs May would underline the importance of establishing strong personal relations with her European counterparts and emphasise the value that the UK placed on its economic, trading and security relationships with the two countries and its commitment to continued strong ties outside the EU.
"These visits will be an opportunity to forge a strong working relationship that we can build upon and which I hope to develop with more leaders across the European Union in the weeks and months ahead," she said.
"I do not under-estimate the challenge of negotiating our exit from the European Union and I firmly believe that being able to talk frankly and openly about the issues we face will be an important part of a successful negotiation.
"I also want to deliver a very clear message about the importance we attach to our bilateral relationship with our European partners, not just now but also when we have left the European Union.
"These relationships have been vital in the past and they will be vital in the future as we continue to work together to keep our people safe and to support economic growth that benefits people across our countries."
The German government said the two leaders would also discuss the refugee crisis in Europe and the political situation in Turkey following last Friday's attempted coup.
Mrs Merkel was a strong ally in David Cameron's unsuccessful bid to renegotiate the UK's membership as part of his goal of remaining in a "reformed Europe", although French support for the former PM's effort to secure a special status for the UK in the EU was more lukewarm.Mrs Merkel was a strong ally in David Cameron's unsuccessful bid to renegotiate the UK's membership as part of his goal of remaining in a "reformed Europe", although French support for the former PM's effort to secure a special status for the UK in the EU was more lukewarm.
The first time that Mrs May will face all 27 other EU leaders at the same time will be at October's European Council meeting, by which point the UK's strategy and the likely timeframe for talks should be much clearer.The first time that Mrs May will face all 27 other EU leaders at the same time will be at October's European Council meeting, by which point the UK's strategy and the likely timeframe for talks should be much clearer.
Government lawyers told a court in London on Tuesday that Mrs May had made clear she did not intend to deploy Article 50 before the end of 2016, although Downing Street stressed that this was a decision for the government to make.