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Brexit: Angela Merkel insists Article 50 must be triggered before Brexit talks despite Theresa May stance Brexit: Angela Merkel insists Article 50 must be triggered before Brexit talks despite Theresa May stance
(35 minutes later)
Angela Merkel has insisted talks over the UK's exit from the European Union cannot begin until Article 50 is invoked.Angela Merkel has insisted talks over the UK's exit from the European Union cannot begin until Article 50 is invoked.
Speaking at a joint news conference as she and British Prime Minister Theresa May met, she said: "We will wait for the moment when the UK invokes [Article 50] and then we will put our guidelines on the table."Speaking at a joint news conference as she and British Prime Minister Theresa May met, she said: "We will wait for the moment when the UK invokes [Article 50] and then we will put our guidelines on the table."
Ms Merkel said that Britain should be clear about what kind of relationship it wants to have with the European Union before starting talks on quitting the bloc.Ms Merkel said that Britain should be clear about what kind of relationship it wants to have with the European Union before starting talks on quitting the bloc.
“From my point of view it's completely understandable that a few days after the referendum, a few days after a new government in Great Britain is formed, that the government has to first think what are our interests, what exactly do they look like,” Merkel said at a joint news conference in Berlin with visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May.“From my point of view it's completely understandable that a few days after the referendum, a few days after a new government in Great Britain is formed, that the government has to first think what are our interests, what exactly do they look like,” Merkel said at a joint news conference in Berlin with visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May.
“And I think it's in all of our interests if Great Britain has a very well defined negotiating position,” Ms Merkel added.“And I think it's in all of our interests if Great Britain has a very well defined negotiating position,” Ms Merkel added.
The German Chancellor said the close bond between the UK and Germany would continue “irrespective” of the vote to leave the EU.The German Chancellor said the close bond between the UK and Germany would continue “irrespective” of the vote to leave the EU.
“Irrespective of the decision that the people in the UK have taken to leave the EU, we are linked by very close bonds of friendship, of partnership,” she said.“Irrespective of the decision that the people in the UK have taken to leave the EU, we are linked by very close bonds of friendship, of partnership,” she said.
“Our two countries have always acted on a basis of very clear and firm and similar convictions. We share the same values.”“Our two countries have always acted on a basis of very clear and firm and similar convictions. We share the same values.”
Both nations were members of Nato, the G20 and G7 and “this will determine the relationship and also the spirit in which we will carry out the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU”.Both nations were members of Nato, the G20 and G7 and “this will determine the relationship and also the spirit in which we will carry out the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU”.
“Independently of this process of leaving the EU, we want to also continue to foster our relations on the economic field, in the political fiel,d because this is, after all, in our mutual interest," Ms Merkel said.“Independently of this process of leaving the EU, we want to also continue to foster our relations on the economic field, in the political fiel,d because this is, after all, in our mutual interest," Ms Merkel said.
Mrs May insited that Brexit would not mean “walking away from our European friends” and that the UK would remain an “outward-looking country” after the European Union referendum result.
She said: “I have been clear that Brexit means Brexit and the United Kingdom is going to make a success of it.
“But I also want to be clear here today, and across Europe in the weeks ahead, that we are not walking away from our European friends.
Mrs May confirmed she would not trigger the two-year Article 50 process of leaving the European Union before the end of the year.
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