EU ready to start Brexit negotiations, says Merkel
LONDON, June 10, 2017
German chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU was ready to negotiate and said she sees no obstacles in the way of beginning Brexit talks as scheduled after Theresa May failed to win a majority in Thursday's UK election.
The German chancellor said she believed Britain would stick to the timetable, adding the European Union was "ready", reported BBC.
"We hope Britain would remain a good partner following the talks, due to begin on June, Merkel said in her first comments since May's Conservative party lost 13 seats.
The loss left the Conservatives eight MPs short of a majority in parliament, plunging negotiations into uncertainty. May called the snap election in order to secure a clear mandate for her vision of Brexit.
A spokesman for the German leader had previously refused to be drawn on the issue out of "politeness and respect" while the process of forming a new UK government was under way.
May says she will form a government with the Democratic Unionist Party from Northern Ireland, which won 10 seats.
Merkel, who is meeting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to discuss trade, told reporters gathered in Mexico City on Friday: "I assume that Britain, from what I heard from the prime minister today, wants to stick to its negotiating plan."
"We want to negotiate quickly, we want to stick to the time plan, and so at this point I don't think there is anything to suggest these negotiations cannot start as was agreed."
Meanwhile, Michael Fuchs, senior economic adviser to the German chancellor, told the BBC the result meant it was time for Mrs May "to face realities" and soften her approach.
"Her wish and will was not really too much accepted by the British people," he said. "I have the feeling, because otherwise they would have given her a better vote," he added.
