Page 9 - Aruba Today
P. 9
WORLD NEWS 9
Thursday 18 February 2016
Merkel: German ‘national interest’ for UK to remain in EU
GEIR MOULSON free trade, and that “Eu- wrote to government lead- clear that she won’t be grants across the Aegean
Associated Press rope needs Great Britain’s ers in the wake of his whirl- pushing the contentious Sea to EU member Greece
BERLIN (AP) — Chancel- foreign and security policy wind tour that took him to subject of new quotas to rather than shutting down
lor Angela Merkel said commitment to assert our five capitals in little more distribute migrants around Greece’s northern border
Wednesday that it’s in values and interests in the than one day. Europe. She reiterated that with Macedonia. Some
Germany’s national inter- world.” In case the talks would still it would be “laughable” for 850,000 people made the
est for Britain to remain in sea crossing to Greece
the European Union, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel delivers a speech a day before an EU council meeting, at the last year, with over 150,000
she also pressed her fellow German parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016. Merkel said that it’s more arriving by boat in Ita-
European leaders to work in Germany’s national interest for Britain to remain in the European Union, and pressed her fellow ly and far smaller numbers
with Turkey to curb the mi- European leaders to work with Turkey to curb the migrant influx. elsewhere.
grant influx. “Our common goal is to
An EU summit on Thursday (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) drastically and lastingly re-
and Friday aims to reach duce the number of refu-
an agreement on a pack- EU President Donald Tusk break down, he wrote, “it Europe to approve such gees so as to better help
age of measures to keep said late Wednesday that would be a defeat both for quotas when it has barely those people who really
Britain in the 28-nation bloc, the outcome of the talks the UK and the European started to share refugees need our assistance,” she
and Merkel hopes to make was still on a knife’s edge. Union, but a geopolitical under existing agreements. said. Turkey hosts more
some headway toward an “Frankly: there is still no victory for those who seek Instead, she said, the key than 2.5 million Syrian refu-
elusive European solution guarantee that we will to divide us.” issue is to work with Turkey gees. EU countries, keen
of the migrant crisis. reach an agreement,” he On migrants, Merkel made to try to stem the flow of mi- to prevent more of them
Germany is the EU’s most heading for Europe, last
populous — and economi- year pledged 3 billion euros
cally powerful — nation ($3.3 billion) to help Syrian
and also has taken in the refugees in Turkey.
most refugees. But Merkel’s “We as the European Union
open-door stance to asy- must learn to protect mari-
lum-seekers has been un- time borders,” Merkel said.
der increasing pressure “If we don’t learn, we
both from abroad and at won’t succeed next time
home, including from with- with Italy, across the sea
in her own conservative from Libya.”
bloc. “A continent that doesn’t
In a speech to parlia- manage that and only re-
ment, Merkel painted a acts by sealing (borders)
largely positive picture off just behind the maritime
of chances of an agree- border, and says ‘we’re
ment on Britain’sEU reform not interested in whoever is
demands, which she said behind the fence’ — I am
are in many cases “justi- convinced that can’t be
fied and understandable.” the European answer,” she
British Prime Minister David said.q
Cameron hopes to secure
a deal for a looser union Hungary PM blasts migrant flow as threat to Europe
with the bloc.
“Germany will make its V. ISACHENKOV crisis is expected to feature or any other EU member, “uncontrolled migration
contribution so that a result Associated Press prominently on the agen- Orban went on to assail will cause more harm than
that satisfies everyone can MOSCOW (AP) — Hunga- da. those in the EU who see good.”
be achieved, if possible al- ry’s prime minister vented Orban said after talks with Hungary’s desire to pro- He went on to assail
ready at the summit begin- his anger against the influx President Vladimir Putin tect its ethnic and Christian the EU mechanism requir-
ning tomorrow,” she said. of migrants on a visit to Rus- that Hungary disagrees roots as a “voice from the ing members to host mi-
“I am convinced that it is sia on Wednesday, saying with those in the EU who Dark Ages.” grants, saying that “no one
in our national interest for that it threatens the identity see the flow of migrants as In remarks heralding fierce can be forced to live with
Great Britain to remain an of EU nations and raises ter- something good. debates at the EU summit, the people whom they
active member in a strong ror threats. “Europe’s largest nations Orban said that for Hunga- don’t want to live with.”
and successful European Viktor Orban made the now believe it’s mostly posi- ry “Christian and national Asked about his view, Pu-
Union,” she added. comments during a visit tive,” he said through an in- values will be as important tin said that he wouldn’t
Merkel said Britain is an ally to Russia, speaking a day terpreter. “Our view is that in the future as they were weigh in on an EU domes-
for Germany in promot- before a European Union it’s bad.” in the past,” adding that tic issue, but praised Orban
ing competitiveness and summit where the migrant Without naming Germany his nation believes that for his stance.q
