Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 10 april 2019
France softens stance ahead of May plea for new Brexit delay

By RAF CASERT tain a close economic rela-
SYLVIE CORBET tionship with the bloc.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Tough-guy After further talks Tuesday
France softened its stance over an informal lunch of
Tuesday and showed will- sandwiches and sausage
ingness to accept yet an- rolls, the two sides said they
other delay in the long- would resume their discus-
awaited Brexit, diminishing sions after Wednesday's EU
the chances that Britain summit.
would crash out of the Eu- May's Downing Street of-
ropean Union this week fice said the talks had been
without any future plan. "productive and wide-
But British Prime Minister ranging." Labour business
Theresa May still has a spokeswoman Rebecca
rough day ahead of her Long-Bailey said there had
as she heads to an emer- not been "any fundamen-
gency summit in Brussels on tal shift ... but we're hopeful
Wednesday to plead for a that progress will be made."
new Brexit extension — for For two years, March 29
the second time in three was the date etched in law
weeks. Such gatherings to get Brexit through. It has
aren't getting any friendlier. come and gone, and the
With nearly everyone fully new red line has become
resigned to Britain's depar- In this Nov. 24, 2017 file photo, British Prime Minister Theresa May, right, speaks with European the May 23-26 European
Council President Donald Tusk, second left, as European Commission President Jean-Claude
ture from the European Juncker looks on during a meeting in Brussels. elections and the July 2
Union, two questions took Associated Press start of the new five-year
center stage Tuesday: How EU legislative session.
— and when — to get the accept a new delay. ture altogether. A drastic ing for more delays. And European Council Presi-
U.K. politely out the door. While Macron still has a long cliff-edge departure would guarantees that Britain dent Donald Tusk has of-
EU countries, especially list of conditions, it was a no- have huge costs to busi- would not be involved in fered up the possibility of
France, have become in- table shift in France's tone nesses and trade across future EU decisions while its a long-term delay, a one-
creasingly exasperated compared to last week. the English Channel and be Brexit drama is playing out. year "flextension."
with the political division The reason for the change very cumbersome to trav- "The longer the extension But some EU leaders worry
and uncertainty in Britain was unclear, though con- elers as it would hit airports, might be, the more guar- that could have draw-
about a way forward. cerns have been growing ports, tariff rules and stan- antees are needed," the backs — especially after
The bloc's leaders have about how badly a hard dard regulations overnight. French official said, speak- British Brexit-backers sug-
tried to help May over the Brexit would hit the French EU rules say that any exten- ing on condition he not gested they would try to
past two years of negotia- economy, too. France was sion to the Brexit deadline be named in keeping with make life difficult for the EU.
tions, even after she missed also encouraged by May's needs unanimity among presidential policy. Conservative lawmaker
her hand-picked Brexit de- outreach last week to Brit- the 27 other member Britain's Byzantine parlia- Mark Francois said that if
parture date on March 29 ain's political opposition to states, and even if smaller mentary disarray that has the U.K. remained in the
because of a parliamen- find a compromise, and member states would be left Brexit in a state of a flux bloc, "then in return we
tary revolt. After obtaining Macron may have been hard-pressed to do it on has added to continental will become a Trojan horse
a delay until Friday, she will swayed in part by a meet- their own, France has never annoyance. within the EU, which will
be asking for another post- ing with the Irish prime min- shied away from being an "We are in a very, very utterly derail all your at-
ponement that lasts until ister. EU leader — even at the frustrating situation here," tempts to pursue a more
June 30 at the special EU France, which has had expense of Britain. Germany's Roth said as he federal project." Little won-
summit. a love-hate relationship After all, French President arrived Tuesday at an EU der EU leaders are looking
On a charm offensive with with Britain for about 1,000 Charles De Gaulle twice meeting in Luxembourg. for a true commitment of
key leaders, May flew first years, is now at the fore- vetoed British membership But, he added, a disorderly cooperation from May as
to Berlin Tuesday to plead front to get the EU to take in the 1960s, and the two Brexit would be "the worst a prerequisite for a long
for good terms with Ger- some decisive action. countries long fought tooth of all options on the table." extension to the Brexit
man Chancellor Angela "We won't be able to per- and nail over everything "So far absolutely nothing deadline.q
Merkel, and then set off for petually live with the exit from farming to fishing rights has changed," Roth said.
Paris for an encounter with of Brexit," French Foreign to how much Britain should "Within the European Union,
President Emmanuel Ma- Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian pay into the EU budget. there isn't an endless readi-
cron, seen as her counter- said over the weekend. "At Add to that France's long- ness to keep talking about
part with the toughest de- some point there is an exit." held championing of state delays so long as there is no
mands. Germany thinks likewise. oversight of the economy substantial progress on the
"France is really trying to "There isn't an endless read- as opposed to Britain's British side."
play bad cop here," said iness to keep talking about staunch defense of free- Every British initiative to get
Larissa Brunner, an analyst delays so long as there is no market liberalism, and the a deal has floundered so
at European Policy Cen- substantial progress on the potential for political in- far. Several days of talks be-
ter, referring to French insis- British side," said Michael fighting has always been tween May's Conservative
tence that another exten- Roth, Germany's deputy there. government and the main
sion to her deadline must foreign minister. Among conditions France opposition Labour Party
come with strings attached All eyes are now turned is now setting to agree to tried to find a compromise
and assurances from Lon- toward Macron, who has a new delay: A "credible Brexit deal have failed to
don. it in his power to force Brit- prospect" of some kind of produce a breakthrough.
However, an official in Ma- ain to choose between a solution to the British po- Labour favors a softer Brexit
cron's office said Tuesday no-deal Brexit on Friday litical deadlock. A promise than the government has
that France was ready to and cancelling its depar- that Britain won't keep ask- proposed, and wants to re-