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WORLD NEWS Friday 23 February 2018

UK's May gathers divided Cabinet, seeking Brexit compromise

By JILL LAWLESS Brexit"-supporting Conser-
LONDON (AP) — British vative lawmakers insisted
Prime Minister Theresa May this week that Britain must
was gathering her divided have "full regulatory au-
ministers Thursday for a tonomy" — code for refusal
marathon meeting aimed to adopt some EU rules in
at hammering out a com- exchange for access to its
mon position on Brexit. programs and market.
May's "inner Cabinet" was Labour lawmaker Hilary
due to meet through the Benn, a supporter of soft
afternoon and evening at Brexit who heads the House
Chequers, the prime minis- of Commons Brexit com-
ter's country retreat outside mittee, said the next few
London. The Conservative weeks "will have a crucial
government is divided be- influence on the shape,
tween supporters of "hard and therefore the out-
Brexit," who want a clean come, of the negotiations
break with the EU so Britain that will follow."
can strike new trade deals In a letter to Brexit Sec-
around the world, and retary David Davis, Benn
those seeking closer ties to said there was an urgent
soften the economic shock need for more detail from
of leaving. the government, "so that Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May meets the Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte inside 10
The first group includes For- Parliament, U.K. business Downing Street, London Wednesday Feb. 21, 2018.
eign Secretary Boris John- and the EU27 can all see (Stefan Rousseau/Pool via AP)
son and International Trade exactly what kind of future
Secretary Liam Fox, the relationship the U.K. will be tions. The rights group said after Brexit. threat," said Amnesty U.K.
second Treasury chief Philip seeking." in its annual report that un- "Under cover of Brexit the director Kate Allen. It also
Hammond and Home Sec- Meanwhile, Amnesty Inter- der draft legislation drawn government is planning said Britain might "soft-ped-
retary Amber Rudd. national claimed Thursday up by the U.K. government, to strip the British public of al" criticism of rights abuses
May does not have much that leaving the EU could the EU Charter of Funda- protections — and peo- in other countries as it seeks
time to seek a compromise. "substantially reduce" Brit- mental Rights would not be ple don't even know their to strike new trade deals
Britain is due to start negoti- ons' human rights protec- incorporated into British law hard-won rights are under around the world.q
ating future trade relations
with the EU next month,
and will officially leave the Dutch lawmakers: massacre of Armenians genocide
bloc on March 29, 2019.
EU leaders have expressed
frustration at a lack of detail By MIKE CORDER ment, acting Foreign Affairs scription, saying the toll has of a country that turned a
from Britain about its goals. Associated Press Minister Sigrid Kaag said been inflated and consid- blind eye to a genocide
May has said the U.K. plans THE HAGUE, Netherlands that the Dutch government ers those killed victims of a — whose pain still has not
to leave the bloc's single (AP) — Lawmakers in the wouldn't follow the parlia- civil war. eased — in Srebrenica, in
market for goods and ser- Netherlands overwhelm- ment's lead. Kaag says the After the vote, Turkey said the middle of Europe, have
vices and its tariff-free ingly voted Thursday to la- Cabinet will "continue to it "strongly condemns" the no legal binding or valid-
customs union, but none- bel as genocide the mass exercise restraint" in the po- Dutch lower house's deci- ity," Turkey's Foreign Ministry
theless wants a bespoke, killings of Armenians by Ot- litically charged issue. sion. And referring to the said in a statement.
sweeping free-trade deal. toman Turks more than a Historians estimate up to failure of a Dutch battalion The ministry said it had
The EU has consistently century ago. Turkey con- 1.5 million Armenians were of U.N. peacekeepers to taken note of the Dutch
warned that Britain can- demned the move, which killed by Ottoman Turks halt the slaughter of Bos- government's decision
not "cherry pick" benefits is likely to further ratchet around the time of World nians in 1995, Turkey said not to follow parliament's
of membership with none up diplomatic tensions be- War I, an event viewed by the vote had no legal bind- lead. Around 8,000 Muslim
of the obligations. May is tween the two countries. many scholars as the first ing and validity. men and boys were killed
under pressure from both Despite the vote in the genocide of the 20th cen- "The baseless decisions by Bosnian Serb troops in
sides. More than 60 "hard lower house of the parlia- tury. Turkey disputes the de- taken by the parliament Srebrenica.q