- Title: Highlights: Leaders' closing remarks at Biarritz G7 Summit
- Date: 26th August 2019
- Summary: BIARRITZ, FRANCE (AUGUST 26, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "We have already spoken about Iran, and what unites us - and this is a big step forward - is that we not only do not want Iran to have nuclear weapons but we also want to achieve a political solution to this." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SPEAKING ON PROGRESS WITH IRAN: "I can't say at the moment. But there is an atmosphere here that has welcomed the prospect of talks, specifically EU-led talks with Iran, and especially Franco-Iranian talks. This is taking place in coordination with the U.S. and that is already a lot. We can't say today what will actually come out of this and what possibilities will open up as a result of this, but the steadfast will to have talks is big progress."
- Embargoed: 9th September 2019 19:24
- Keywords: G7 Canada France Japan Italy Iran U.S China Britain Donald Trump Amazon forest fires Germany Biarritz
- Location: BIARRITZ, FRANCE
- City: BIARRITZ, FRANCE
- Country: Finland
- Topics: G7,Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA002ATUU62V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS IS A HIGHLIGHTS WRAP OF MATERIAL THAT HAS ALREADY MOVED. IT DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY FRESH MATERIAL
The G7 summit in the French seaside resort of Biarritz came to a close on Monday (August 26) with international diplomatic relations with Iran dominating the agenda.
U.S. President Donald Trump told a news conference before heading home that it was realistic to envisage a meeting with the Iranian head of government in the coming weeks. Both leaders are scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly next month.
French President Emmanuel Macron led efforts to defuse tensions with Iran, fearing a collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal could set the Middle East ablaze.
Trump offered an olive branch to China after days of intense feuding between the world's two largest economies over trade that has spooked financial markets and worried his G7 allies.
Trump said he believed China wanted to make a trade deal after it contacted U.S. trade officials overnight to say it wanted to return to the negotiating table.
He hailed Chinese President Xi Jinping as a great leader and said the prospect of talks was a very positive development.
Trump also proposed inviting Russia back into the G7 fold into what used to be called the G8.
Moscow was excluded from the group in 2014 after it annexed Ukraine's Crimea and then backed an anti-Kiev rebellion in the industrial region of Donbas in eastern Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was prepared to take Brexit talks with the European Union down to the very last minute before the Oct. 31 exit deadline, and if necessary to take a decision to leave without a deal on that day.
Johnson has 68 days to convince the EU to give him a new Brexit deal, with neither side so far willing to compromise on the most contentious issues. If he can't get a deal, he says Britain will leave the bloc anyway.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed Trump's stance saying that as a group, the G7 do not want Iran to have nuclear weapons. While eluding to progress in talks with Rouhani and Iran she declined to enter specifics but hoped for ''big progress.''
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the wildfires in the Amazon jungle and said Canada will make a donation towards efforts fighting the fire as well as sending water bombers.
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