- Title: France, Ireland frustrated at Britain's lack of Brexit clarity
- Date: 1st December 2016
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 1, 2016) (REUTERS) FRENCH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, JEAN-MARC AYRAULT, AND IRISH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, CHARLES FLANAGAN, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, JEAN-MARC AYRAULT, SAYING: "The sooner the negotiations start the better and the more clarity the more efficient they will be." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, JEAN-MARC AYRAULT, SAYING: "No there hasn't been enough clarity. But what is important is that Europeans know on which basis they can talk and negotiate. And on that point, on the side of the Europeans, the European Union, the position is clear, less so on the British side. That's why I say we need clarification as soon as possible and it would be detrimental were this situation to last longer." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRISH FOREIGN MINISTER, CHARLES FLANAGAN, SAYING: "We very much hope between now and the end of March that the UK will clarify for us its own thinking on what it wants to achieve and will take a constructive approach at these negotiations. We're now heading towards the end of the year and I believe it's important that we know precisely where the UK stands in terms of the manner of its withdrawal and its own priority issues, its package." CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRISH FOREIGN MINISTER, CHARLES FLANAGAN, SAYING: "(That) Brexit means Brexit, and we are preparing for a withdrawal on the part of the United Kingdom from the European Union. That's in accordance with the wishes of the people. It's not a result I liked but it's a result that I respect and accept." FLANAGAN LISTENING TO QUESTION NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING / FLANAGAN AND AYRAULT LEAVING PODIUM
- Embargoed: 16th December 2016 11:37
- Keywords: Brexit EU France Ireland Ayrault Flanagan
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA0015B1YMO7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:France and Ireland on Thursday (December 1) vented their frustration at the British government's slowness in outlining its plan to leave the European Union, saying that they wanted clarity in the coming weeks.
Britain is among the biggest trade partners of both countries, and they potentially have much to lose from Brexit.
British Prime Minister Theresa May has promised to trigger Article 50 which would enable the formal divorce talks with the European Union by the end of March, but has so far been tight-lipped about what Britain is seeking to achieve in the two-years of talks which will then follow.
Contradictory statements from British government ministers on what Brexit could mean have also angered EU members, who are keen to press ahead as quickly as possible to avoid any more uncertainty in the regional bloc.
"The sooner the negotiations start the better and the more clarity the more efficient they will be," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told a news conference alongside Irish counterpart Charles Flanagan.
"There hasn't been enough clarity. But what is important is that Europeans know on which basis they can talk and negotiate. And on that point, on the side of the Europeans, the European Union, the position is clear, less so on the British side. That's why I say we need clarification as soon as possible and it would be detrimental were this situation to last longer," Ayrault said, adding that the EU remained fully united in not negotiating on anything before Article 50 is triggered.
"We very much hope between now and the end of March that the UK will clarify for us its own thinking on what it wants to achieve and will take a constructive approach at these negotiations. We're now heading towards the end of the year and I believe it's important that we know precisely where the UK stands in terms of the manner of its withdrawal and its own priority issues, its package," Flanagan said.
EU officials have said they would not begin negotiations with Britain until the formal notification is served. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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