Page 8 - aruba-today-20180127

A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 27 January 2018

UK’s Brexit chief German parties begin talks on ‘grand coalition’

pledges host of
new trade deals She said her focus would
be on setting an agenda
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s for the new government
top Brexit official said Fri- that would allow Germany
day that the U.K. would be to tackle the challenges of
able to strike new trade a digital world and keep
deals outside the European attracting outside invest-
Union as soon as it leaves ment.
the bloc next year — even Despite the political tur-
though it will remain bound moil, Germany’s economy
to EU customs and market has remained stable in re-
rules for some two years af- cent months.
ter 2019. Social Democrats lead-
Brexit Secretary David er Martin Schulz said he
Davis said that during a hoped the talks, which the
post-2019 transition period parties aims to conclude
Britain would be free to ne- within two weeks, would be
gotiate “new trade deals “swift and constructive.”
with old friends and new “The European Union
allies around the world.” needs a strong pro-Europe-
He said, though, that “they an Germany,” the former
would not enter into force” German Chancellor and chairwomen of the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Angela president of the European
until the transition period is Merkel, addresses the media during a statement prior to the opening of coalition negotiations on Parliament added.
over, likely by early 2021. a new German government between the Christian Unions block and the Social Democratic Party Schulz faces strong oppo-
(SPD) in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018.
That plan may face resis- (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) sition from his own party
tance from the EU, which BERLIN (AP) — German and the center-left Social pro-business Free Demo- members to a renewal of
says Britain can’t sign new Chancellor Angela Merkel Democrats all took a beat- crats failed last year, con- the “grand coalition” that’s
trade deals until it fully and the leaders of two ing in last September’s na- tributing to a delay in form- governed Germany since
leaves the bloc. smaller parties met Friday tional election, which saw ing a government unprec- 2013.
Davis is trying to placate for the start of formal nego- strong gains for an upstart edented in post-war Ger- The head of the Bavarian
pro-Brexit lawmakers in Brit- tiations on forming a new nationalist party that had man history. Christian Social Union, Horst
ain who accuse the gov- governing coalition, some campaigned against immi- Going into Friday’s meet- Seehofer, said his party was
ernment of being too timid four months after voters gration. ing, Merkel said that prelim- going into the talks “with
in negotiations with the EU. went to the polls. The long-time chancellor’s inary negotiations between good will.” But he noted
Conservative legislator Ja- Merkel’s conservative attempts at entering into a the three parties had result- the potential for failure if
cob Rees-Mogg said Thurs- Christian Democrats, its previously untested coali- ed in a “very good frame- the Social Democrat mem-
day that British negotiators Bavaria-only sister party tion with the Greens and work.” bership rejects reject the
had been “cowed” by the deal in a vote.q
bloc. British euroskeptics
are angry that the U.K. will Visegrad Group seeks ‘new blueprint’ for continent
continue to abide by EU
rules during the transition By PABLO GORONDI requesting aid,” Orban Republic and Slovakia, that drej Babis and Slovak Prime
period, which is designed Associated Press said during a panel dis- it was in their interests for Minister Robert Fico. They
to give government and BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — cussion with the other re- Europe to be strong while also stressed the need for
businesses time to prepare The prime ministers of four gional leaders. “We are a preserving the indepen- more north-south ties be-
for life outside the bloc. Central European countries self-conscious community dence of individual coun- tween the countries in the
Speaking at a container that are in the European which gives to the Europe- tries instead of creating a form of highways, high-
port in northeast England, Union reiterated their op- an Union at least as much “United States of Europe.” speed rail links and oil and
Davis said that the transi- position to migration Friday, as the EU gives us.” “We are pro-European poli- gas pipelines.
tion would preserve “the with Hungary’s leader say- Orban said the blueprint ticians, and our goal is for “We have to overcome the
existing structure of rules ing Europe needs a “new he envisions would return Europe to be stronger,” he east-west connectivity in
and regulations — includ- blueprint” to be successful. Europe to the technologi- said, adding: “The question Europe,” Morawiecki said,
ing, crucially, on continued Hungarian Prime Minis- cal forefront, include a joint is, will the European Union adding that such projects
access to each other’s ter Viktor Orban said the defense force and the goal have enough of the good- would “increase competi-
markets on current terms.” countries of Central Europe of a “work-based society — quality leadership needed tiveness of the entire re-
Officials from Britain and were making increasingly meaning a clause relating for us to achieve these gion.”
the EU have begun prelimi- strong contributions to the to total employment,” aims.” The group also advocated
nary talks aimed at agree- EU economy, which Or- Orban said there was The meeting also included for the further expansion of
ing details of the transi- ban said needs to be more agreement among the Polish Prime Minister Ma- the EU, to add countries like
tion period by the end of competitive. Visegrad Group, which also teusz Morawiecki, acting Montenegro, Bosnia-Herze-
March. q “We are not receiving or includes Poland, the Czech Czech Prime Minister An- govina and Serbia.q