- Title: Don't want to leave Europe to U.S., China or Russia, says France's Fillon
- Date: 23rd January 2017
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JANUARY 23, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CONSERVATIVE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL FRONT-RUNNER FRANCOIS FILLON WALKING IN HOTEL LOBBY AFTER BACKGROUNDER WITH REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) CONSERVATIVE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL FRONT-RUNNER, FRANCOIS FILLON, SAYING (ON HIS MEETING WITH MERKEL): "I think that Mrs. Merkel, just like me, we both believe that there is no alternative to a very strong Franco-German alliance, not for romantic reasons and not for celebratory or historic reasons. That's behind us. The reasons lie in the future. France and Germany are Europe's biggest economies. Without a strong unity there is no Europe. And if there is no Europe it means that the European territory is open to everyone, the Americans, the Chinese, the Russians. This is not at all the idea I have in mind for the European continent's future." LAPTOP COMPUTER (SOUNDBITE) (French) CONSERVATIVE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL FRONT-RUNNER, FRANCOIS FILLON, SAYING (ON HIS MEETING WITH MERKEL): "I have known Angela Merkel for a long time. I worked a lot with her in the past and I have great confidence in her. She is a substantiated woman who respects her commitments. I came here to present my priorities for my presidential project and my priorities to address Europe. I told her that Europe is still in crisis, that it's threatened by U.S. politics, that it's threatened by Russia and threatened by China and that it needs to find a new pragmatic project again, based on inter-governmental bases. That's what we discussed and that once the presidential elections are over, that we could begin a cooperation with Mrs. Merkel and Germany." REPORTER WRITING ON LAPTOP/ HALLWAY (SOUNDBITE) (French) CONSERVATIVE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL FRONT-RUNNER, FRANCOIS FILLON, SAYING (ON SOCIALISTS' PRIMARIES RESULT): "It's not up to me to judge on the choice of the left's voters. I will simply say that there are three candidates of the left. There is Mr. (Jean-Luc) Melenchon for the extreme left, Mr. (Emmanuel) Macron who will basically support the politics of (French President) Francois Hollande because he is the only one who doesn't reject it and then without a doubt those who are defiant in the Socialist Party." FILLON WALKING OFF
- Embargoed: 6th February 2017 14:34
- Keywords: Fillon presidential candidate Merkel Socialists Benoit Hamon Berlin Germany France French
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Defence,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00160AULVR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Francois Fillon, conservative front-runner in this year's French presidential elections, said during a visit to Berlin on Monday (January 23) that a "very strong Franco-German alliance" was essential to secure the future of Europe.
Speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Fillon said at a hotel "without a strong unity there is no Europe. And if there is no Europe it means that the European territory is open to everyone, the Americans, the Chinese, the Russians. This is not at all the idea I have in mind for the European continent's future."
Fillon, a former prime minister under ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, said he told Merkel that "Europe is still in crisis, that it's threatened by U.S. politics, that it's threatened by Russia and threatened by China and that it needs to find a new pragmatic project again, based on inter-governmental bases."
Asked to comment on Benoit Hamon, a former Socialist education minister on the left of the party, who led in the first round of a primary to pick a Socialist presidential candidate on Sunday, Fillon said: "It's not up to me to judge on the choice of the left's voters."
Polls put Fillon in the lead to win a May 7 run-off vote in France's presidential election, though his lead over far right leader Marine Le Pen and independent centrist Emmanuel Macron has been narrowing. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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