Berlin: Chancellor Angela Merkel does not fear that more countries will leave the European Union, she told a German newspaper as the bloc's leaders prepare to celebrate 60 years of union on Saturday days before Britain files for divorce.
Prime Minister Theresa May will next Wednesday launch a two-year countdown to Brexit.
Asked if she feared other countries would quit the bloc, Merkel told the Passauer Neue Presse: "No. Individual member states of course have different ideas about how we shape the future, but the overall way forward is clear: more cooperation."
She pointed to defence, control of the EU's external borders, economic policy and the fight against Islamist militancy as areas for cooperation.
Merkel said May's impending letter to begin the Brexit process would not overshadow the EU's 60th anniversary summit.
"The work for the coming years will go in both directions: On the one hand, the exit negotiations with Britain, and on the other considerations about making the EU of 27 members fit for the future," she added in the interview published on Friday.
Asked whether EU accession negotiations with Turkey should be broken off, Merkel replied: "We should await the vote on the referendum in Turkey and everything else."
Turkey is planning an April 16 referendum on constitutional changes that would extend President Tayyip Erdogan's powers.
Merkel said she took very seriously a European legal report that calls Turkey's proposed constitutional changes a big setback for democracy. Turkey has rejected the report.
Turning to relations with the United States, Merkel said she had stressed the extent of German investments there in talks with US President Donald Trump last week.
"Trade agreements should bring benefits to both sides, and we need to negotiate on that," she said. "Now we will see whether we can revive negotiations on our TTIP trade and investment agreement."
German officials have said the stalled US -European trade deal known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is "on ice" but talks could be rekindled if there is U.S. interest.
(Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Alison Williams)
Prime Minister Theresa May will next Wednesday launch a two-year countdown to Brexit.
Asked if she feared other countries would quit the bloc, Merkel told the Passauer Neue Presse: "No. Individual member states of course have different ideas about how we shape the future, but the overall way forward is clear: more cooperation."
Merkel said May's impending letter to begin the Brexit process would not overshadow the EU's 60th anniversary summit.
Advertisement
Asked whether EU accession negotiations with Turkey should be broken off, Merkel replied: "We should await the vote on the referendum in Turkey and everything else."
Advertisement
Merkel said she took very seriously a European legal report that calls Turkey's proposed constitutional changes a big setback for democracy. Turkey has rejected the report.
Advertisement
"Trade agreements should bring benefits to both sides, and we need to negotiate on that," she said. "Now we will see whether we can revive negotiations on our TTIP trade and investment agreement."
Advertisement
(Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Alison Williams)
© Thomson Reuters 2017
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Nigel Farage: Brexit Firebrand Who Announced Eighth Bid To Become UK MP In Blow To Rishi Sunak, Brexit Champion Nigel Farage Announces UK Election Candidacy An Election Candidate In UK Was Dismissed. Turns Out He Was Dead Barack Obama Wants Joe Biden To Pull Out Of US Presidential Race: Report World's Largest Isolated Tribe Makes Rare Appearance In New Footage Shooter Had Trump's Face Right In Middle Of Crosshairs, Shows New Video Ice-Cream Shop Owner Hospitalised After Being Shot At In Pune: Cops PM Modi Meets Party Staffers At BJP Headquarters NMC Approves 50 MBBS Seats For New Medical College In Odisha Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.