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May to meet Obama and Merkel for talks on Islamic State threat May meets Obama and Merkel for talks in Berlin
(about 4 hours later)
Theresa May will hold talks with Barack Obama and European leaders in Berlin about the risk of the fight against Islamic State in the Middle East spreading to neighbouring countries, and will try to get in a few words on Brexit during a one-on-one with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. Theresa May has been holding talks with Barack Obama and European leaders in Berlin about Nato and the risk of the fight against Islamic State in the Middle East spreading to neighbouring countries.
The main issue on the agenda for Friday’s “Quint” meeting between Merkel, May, Obama, France’s François Hollande and Italy’s Matteo Renzi – plus Spain’s Mariano Rajoy – will be the threat posed by the dispersal of seasoned Isis fighters, who are being pushed out of Iraq and Syria by coalition attacks and could move to other countries in Africa or the Middle East or return to Europe. The British prime minister is also trying to get in a few words on Brexit during a one-on-one with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel.
The issue of the movement of Isis fighters was raised at the UN general assembly meeting in September and will be discussed again. “As we close down Daesh’s areas of operation in one part of the world we need to be mindful of the fact that they may regroup in other parts and how we set about tackling that,” a UK government spokesperson said.Russia’s “increasingly assertive stance in eastern Europe and around the world” would also be discussed, the spokesperson said. The leaders – Merkel, May, Obama, France’s François Hollande and Italy’s Matteo Renzi – agreed that they needed to keep working together as part of multilateral bodies like Nato and to press ahead with the transatlantic agenda, the White House said in a statement.
While issues around the consequences of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union will not be on the agenda, May is expected to raise the subject on the margins of Friday’s meetings. The bilateral meeting with Merkel would “likely feature security issues”, the Downing Street spokesperson said, adding: “It will be a wide-ranging discussion. Brexit will be part of it, I’m sure.” Their agreement comes after the election victory of US Republican Donald Trump, who said during his campaign that if Russia attacked a Nato member, he would consider whether the targeted country had met its defence commitments before providing military aid.
“The leaders agreed on the necessity of working collectively to move the transatlantic agenda forward, particularly on bringing stabilisation to the Middle East and North Africa, as well as securing diplomatic resolution to the conflicts in Syria and eastern Ukraine,” the White House said in the statement.
“The leaders also affirmed the importance of continued cooperation through multilateral institutions, including Nato,” the White House added.
The leaders were also expected to talk about the threat posed by the dispersal of seasoned Isis fighters, who are being pushed out of Iraq and Syria by coalition attacks and could move to other countries in Africa or the Middle East or return to Europe.
The issue of the movement of Isis fighters was raised at the UN general assembly meeting in September and was discussed again. “As we close down Daesh’s areas of operation in one part of the world we need to be mindful of the fact that they may regroup in other parts and how we set about tackling that,” a UK government spokesperson said.
While issues around the consequences of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union were not on the agenda, May was expected to raise the subject on the margins of Friday’s meetings. The bilateral meeting with Merkel would “likely feature security issues”, the Downing Street spokesperson said, adding: “It will be a wide-ranging discussion. Brexit will be part of it, I’m sure.”
A press conference has been scheduled for 2.15pm CET (1.15pm GMT).
With the last leg of his farewell tour taking him to Berlin, Obama had made clear that if there had been a “special relationship” between the US and a European country during his eight years in office, it had not been with Britain but with Germany.With the last leg of his farewell tour taking him to Berlin, Obama had made clear that if there had been a “special relationship” between the US and a European country during his eight years in office, it had not been with Britain but with Germany.
Including an intense three-hour, one-on-one dinner on Wednesday and a lengthy press conference on Thursday in which Obama praised Merkel as “the only figure left” among his allies, the events of the last days have emphasised a symbolic passing of the baton. As if to underline his point even further, the US president will be heading back across the Atlantic barely two-and-a-half hours after meeting May and other European leaders.Including an intense three-hour, one-on-one dinner on Wednesday and a lengthy press conference on Thursday in which Obama praised Merkel as “the only figure left” among his allies, the events of the last days have emphasised a symbolic passing of the baton. As if to underline his point even further, the US president will be heading back across the Atlantic barely two-and-a-half hours after meeting May and other European leaders.
Obama’s last official visit to Europe has been infused with nostalgia, with the American and German leaders at times struggling to hide their concerns over a power shift in global politics.Obama’s last official visit to Europe has been infused with nostalgia, with the American and German leaders at times struggling to hide their concerns over a power shift in global politics.
Obama admitted Donald Trump as president was unlikely to “follow exactly our blueprint or our approach”, though said he was hopeful that his successor would pursue constructive policies that defend democratic values and the rule of law.Obama admitted Donald Trump as president was unlikely to “follow exactly our blueprint or our approach”, though said he was hopeful that his successor would pursue constructive policies that defend democratic values and the rule of law.
He said Trump should not “simply take a realpolitik approach and suggest … we just cut some deals with Russia – even if it hurts people or violates international norms or leaves smaller countries vulnerable or creates long-term problems in regions like Syria.”He said Trump should not “simply take a realpolitik approach and suggest … we just cut some deals with Russia – even if it hurts people or violates international norms or leaves smaller countries vulnerable or creates long-term problems in regions like Syria.”
Asked whether ongoing sanctions on Russia would be discussed in Berlin, the Downing Street spokesman said: “Clearly we will seek agreement to maintain the Ukraine-related sanctions until such time as we see the Minsk agreement implemented.Asked whether ongoing sanctions on Russia would be discussed in Berlin, the Downing Street spokesman said: “Clearly we will seek agreement to maintain the Ukraine-related sanctions until such time as we see the Minsk agreement implemented.
“Obviously, we will expect to see the Quint leaders united in the need to keep up pressure on the Syrian regime and their influencers to stop the actions that are taking place there.”“Obviously, we will expect to see the Quint leaders united in the need to keep up pressure on the Syrian regime and their influencers to stop the actions that are taking place there.”