The Prime Minister has also had a hard meeting with Vladimir Putin in which she is said to have rebuffed Russian overtures for improvements in trade relations with the United Kingdom.
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May said that following Brexit “we will be looking to establish new trading relationships around the globe”.
The Prime Minister will give her verdict on the £18 billion project later this month, with security implications and the high cost of the energy produced by the Somerset plant among the concerns raised by critics about the scheme.
Australia is trying to “deal with the British early to ensure we are able to negotiate a very strong, very open free trade agreement” once the country leaves the European Union.
Mrs May said she would urge Mr Putin to allow humanitarian access to war-torn areas in the country.
Downing Street said the prime minister’s talks on trade with world leaders come ahead of the second meeting of the Cabinet committee on EU Exit and Trade which will meet later this week and focus on the government’s trade policy, in particular the principles which should guide the British approach including further work to prioritize early free trade discussions.
But EU commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker has said he opposes trade talks between Britain and other economies while it remains part of the European Union.
British Prime Minister Theresa May insists Australia will be one of the first countries the United Kingdom looks to as it leaves the European Union.
May is “very grateful of the assistance that we are providing both at a legislative level and the sense of providing, making available our resources”, Turnbull said. In fact, we want to be even more outward-looking around the whole of the world. “And obviously, Australia, with our longstanding ties and our close relationship, will be one of the first countries will be looking to”.
Australia has negotiated five free trade agreements in the last three years as well as the multilateral Trans-Pacific Partnership.
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The Prime Minister said the delay was down to “the way I operate” because she wanted a fresh look at the evidence for the power plant.
