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WORLD NEWS Friday 10 May 2019
EU leaders commit to unity

despite major divisions

By RAF CASERT comes to reaching deci- got the job they hoped for.
Associated Press sions," she said. Juncker is also slated to
SIBIU, Romania (AP) — De- "That's why I proposed we leave in November and
spite the impending depar- could meet every two replacing him is expected
ture of Britain, the remain- months for regular meet- to be more complicated,
ing European Union coun- ings." considering the results of
tries committed Thursday The list of common commit- the May 23-26 European European Council President Donald Tusk, left, speaks with French
to stick together "through ments they vowed to de- elections must also be tak- President Emmanuel Macron during a group photo of EU leaders
at an EU summit in Sibiu, Romania, Thursday, May 9, 2019.
thick and thin" to emerge fend included democratic en into account.q Associated Press
as a stronger world power rule of law principles, better
after years of internal divi- defense and improved la-
sions. bor protections.
"The world doesn't sleep," In what the leaders called
German Chancellor An- "the spirit of Sibiu" in their
gela Merkel said as 27 EU joint declaration, they
leaders held an informal promised to stick together
summit in Romania. "We in a global environment
have to be innovative. We "to make the most of new
have to be strong, we have trading opportunities and
to be united." to jointly tackle global is-
The U.K.'s planned depar- sues such as preserving our
ture from the EU has preoc- environment and fighting
cupied the bloc for more climate change."
than two years, so the sum- But disagreements were
mit was a chance to make evident on environmental
a clarion call of unity and issues. Macron lauded an
to reiterate the EU's funda- approach from nine na-
mental principles. tions on climate change,
Leaders as disparate as but Merkel and others
French President Emman- stayed away from it be-
uel Macron, an EU cham- cause they thought it was
pion, and Hungary's euro- based too much on tradi-
skeptic prime minister, Vik- tional energy sources.
tor Orban, found a 10-point "We consider the path of
list of generalities they betting on nuclear power
could all get behind. to be completely wrong,"
Macron argued the EU Austrian Chancellor Sebas-
needs to stand up as one tian Kurz said. "We have to
and to face China and the fight climate change but
United States as an equal. neither nuclear energy nor
"Division will be our weak- coal-fired power plants are
ness," the French leader the right way."
warned. The process for picking
Britain is still nominally an EU the EU's new top officials
member, but Prime Minister in Brussels also promises to
Theresa May skipped the produce a tussle. European
Romania summit and re- Council President Donald
mained in London to try to Tusk and European Com-
get an EU withdrawal deal mission chief Jean-Claude
through Parliament. Juncker are leaving later
The other 27 nations are this year.
unhappy about the drawn- It promises to be a mighty
out divorce with the U.K. tussle.
A political impasse over So much so that Tusk called
the divorce agreement for a special summit on
caused May to request a May 28, two days after the
postponement to the origi- EU parliamentary elections
nal Brexit date of March end, to streamline the pro-
29, which has now been cedure and hasten the vet-
pushed back to October ting of candidates.
31. Mark Rutte is seen by many
Because of all the time and as an early favorite to re-
effort lost on Brexit, EU lead- place Tusk, but the Dutch
ers need to meet more of- prime minister said on
ten to catch up on other Thursday he was not a can-
matters, Merkel said. didate. In the past, candi-
"We talked about the need dates who declared early
to become faster when it faded quickly and never