- Title: German ForMin says Brexit talks will not be easy for either side
- Date: 29th March 2017
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (MARCH 29, 2017) (REUTERS) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER SIGMAR GABRIEL ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING: "The remaining 27 member states of the European Union now have time until Britain's final exit to negotiate the conditions under which this will happen. For us it is clear that the main goal is that the interests of the 27 EU member states are not compromised through Britain's exit. Whatever we agree with the United Kingdom, the interests of the EU member states must be maintained." GABRIEL SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING: "Michel Barnier, who has been tasked with leading these negotiations for the (European) Commission can rely on the fact that we want to support him in any way we can in order to secure the common interests of the European Union in these negotiations. Above all, this is about the interests of the citizens of the European Union who live in Britain. Their interests must come first - as well as the economic and trade interests of the member states of course - but above all it's about the citizens from Europe who live and work in Britain." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING: "The negotiations will surely not be easy for either side. We will come across a whole range of conflict points, but I am convinced that we must do everything to conduct the negotiations so that they do not ultimately result in a complete rupture between the United Kingdom and the European Union." GABRIEL SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SIGMAR GABRIEL, SAYING: "Remaining friends is not only in the European Union's interest, but certainly also in the United Kingdom's. But in order for that we must ensure the interests of both sides are considered appropriately. For Germany there is a clear guiding principle in the negotiations: keeping the 27 EU member states together. That is the most important principle in our talks, but we will conduct these talks constructively and with the goal of a fair balancing of interests." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS PHOTOGRAPHER GABRIEL LEAVING
- Embargoed: 12th April 2017 15:53
- Keywords: Sigmar Gabriel Brexit Germany EU German foreign minister
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: European Union,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016A0GY13
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Germany's foreign minister cautioned on Wednesday (March 29) that negotiations on Britain's exit from the European Union would not be easy for either side, and that the interests of the remaining 27 member states must not be compromised in the negotiations.
Speaking in Berlin after British Prime Minister Theresa May formally triggered the two-year countdown to Brexit, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel made clear the unity of the other 27 EU member states would be Germany's highest priority in the talks.
He said that Germany wanted to avoid a "complete rupture" between the United Kingdom and the European Union, but that the interests of EU citizens living in Britain would come first in the negotiations. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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