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A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 6 april 2019
UK’s prime minister asks EU to delay Brexit until June 30

By GREGORY KATZ lier by the lower House of
RAF CASERT Commons by just one vote.
Associated Press Despite the apparent sup-
LONDON (AP) — British port in Parliament for a new
Prime Minister Theresa May law to prevent a no-deal
on Friday again sought to exit, the decision is in the
delay Brexit until June 30 hands of the EU, not Brit-
to avoid a chaotic with- ain. It is the first country to
drawal from the European try to leave the bloc, and
Union in one week, al- the formal “Article 50” exit
though a key leader of the procedure has never been
bloc suggested an even tested before. All 27 nations
longer pause in the difficult have to agree unanimously
divorce proceedings. on an extension.
The question over timing The Europeans would pre-
is vital because Britain is fer that Britain not take part
set to leave the EU with- in the European Parliament
out a withdrawal deal in elections if it is going to
place on April 12 unless an leave. April 12 is the last day
agreement is reached at a for Britain to signal whether
Brussels summit set to take it will field candidates.
place two days earlier. May said in her letter that
In a letter to European Britain is reluctantly ready
Council President Donald Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries European Commissioner Karmenu Vella talks to to begin preparations for
Tusk, May asked for an journalists during a news conference the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Friday, the European elections if
extension until the end of April 5, 2019. no Brexit deal is reached
June and agreed to make Associated Press in the interim. She said she
contingency plans to take because Britain would be One EU diplomat said that out a deal could lead to is making the preparations
part in European Parlia- expected to take part, if it there was rising concern economic slowdown and even though she believes
ment elections on May 23- is still an EU member, so its among member states that a breakdown in food and it is not in the interest of ei-
26 if necessary. people have representa- they would not get “sincere medical supplies as bor- ther Britain or the EU for her
An earlier British request tion in the European Parlia- cooperation” from Britain, der checks and tariffs are country to participate be-
for a delay until June 30 ment. Officials worry that which could hurt how the added overnight. Mas- cause it is leaving the bloc.
was rejected last month, the legitimacy of European bloc functions. sive traffic jams could also May’s withdrawal plan,
amid rising irritation from institutions could be jeop- “There are important deci- be expected on highways reached with the EU over
EU leaders about the politi- ardized if the population sions to be taken after EU leading to major ferry ports. more than two years of ne-
cal chaos in London. There of a member state is not in- elections,” said the official, The complex maneuvering gotiations, has been reject-
also having been increas- volved in the process. who spoke on condition of on dates comes as Britain’s ed by the U.K. Parliament
ing fears that the longer EU nations already have anonymity to comment on Parliament considers legis- three times.
the U.K. stays, the more it watched nearly three closed-door meetings pre- lation designed to prevent She is now seeking a com-
will obstruct EU policies and years of political anxiety paring for next week’s sum- such a “no-deal” depar- promise in a series of talks
plans. over Brexit. mit. ture. with Labour Party leader
Tusk proposed a longer French President Emman- There also were fears about Britain’s upper House of Jeremy Corbyn and his
time frame Friday and he uel Macron has thus far a chaotic Brexit on April 12. Lords is set to resume de- deputies, with hopes of
urged the 27 remaining EU seemed cagey about giv- There are concerns that bate on the measure Mon- winning opposition support
nations to offer the U.K. a ing Britain more time, say- such an abrupt exit with- day. It was endorsed ear- for a new divorce deal.q
flexible extension of up to a ing the bloc cannot be
tion doesn’t leave the bloc political deadlock over Macron calls for probe into French role
held hostage by Britain’s
year to make sure the na-
in a chaotic way that could Brexit.
undermine commerce and There are also concerns in Rwanda genocide
hurt many EU nations. in Europe that some Brit-
Two EU officials said Tusk ish politicians who want to ing its 1994 genocide.
wants a one-year period, provoke a “no-deal” Brexit Macron met Friday with
which has been dubbed might try to make trou- victims of the genocide,
a “flextension,” and hopes ble from inside the bloc, and a Rwandan group
to get it approved at the a course that outspoken working to teach future
EU summit on April 10. The Brexit advocate Jacob generations about it.
officials spoke on condi- Rees-Mogg suggested Fri- Rwanda is this weekend
tion of anonymity because day. marking the 25th anni-
they weren’t authorized to He tweeted that “if a long versary of the start of the
disclose information before extension leaves us stuck in ethnic slaughter of some
it was made public. the EU, we should be as dif- 800,000 people, mainly
Such a move would mean ficult as possible.” The names of those who were slaughtered as they sought refuge ethnic Tutsis.
that the U.K. would need to The Conservative Party in the church, many with the same surname indicating a family, Macron ordered a com-
take part in the elections to lawmaker suggested using are written on a memorial to the thousands who were killed in mission of researchers and
the European Parliament, Britain’s positon to veto any and around the Catholic church during the 1994 genocide, historians to scour archives
something May has long EU budget increases, block outside the church in Ntarama, Rwanda Friday, April 5, 2019. “to analyze the role and
argued would not be in ei- the establishment of an EU Associated Press involvement of France” in
ther side’s interest. army, and make it impos- Associated Press has ordered a government Rwanda from 1990-1994. It
The elections pose a sub- sible for Macron to push PARIS (AP) — French Presi- study into the country’s role is to produce conclusions
stantial stumbling block further EU integration. dent Emmanuel Macron in Rwanda before and dur- within two years.q