Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May, center, holds her first cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Tuesday July 19, 2016.
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The Conservative leader was in the German capital for her first talks since succeeding David Cameron as prime minister.
It was the first time since becoming Prime Minister that Mrs May had confirmed she did not intend to start the process of Brexit until the start of 2017.
“Of course as we continue to work together we must also negotiate the UK’s successful exit from the European Union”, May said.
But Merkel said that while the general issue of the impending Brexit would be broached, neither formal nor informal negotiations on the subject could begin until Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty – which officially kicks off the exit process and opens a two-year window for exit negotiations – was triggered.
While both leaders committed to a constructive bilateral relationship in the post-Brexit world, the chancellor gave no illusions that the ties could be as close as with countries in the EU.
May, appointed a week ago after David Cameron resigned over the result of the European Union vote, has appealed for time to work out how best to attack the unprecedented and complex negotiation for Brexit, with the other leaders in the bloc offering little sign they will make things easy for Britain.
He, as well as May, had backed the “Remain” in the bloc campaign.
The prime minister reiterated her commitment to control immigration into Britain while maintaining access to the European single markets for trade and services, something other leaders say is impossible.
Speaking in Berlin, the UK PM said securing a “sensible and orderly departure” from the European Union would take time. “May has this reputation as a tough negotiator who says what she wants and wants what she says”.
Merkel has warned that Britain can not have continued access to the single market while restricting the freedom of movement – an emotive issue in the June 23 referendum.
“Negotiations with British governments are always taxing, interesting and tactically clever and even while competing with our negotiating strategies we try to work on an equal terms – it’s always exciting”, she said.
Earlier Mrs May had decided that Britain will no longer assume the six-month rotating presidency next July as planned, choosing instead to prioritise negotiations on Britain’s departure from the EU.
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Theresa May will find that Francois Hollande wants to talk about more than just Brexit when she travels to Paris on Thursday. “Two women who, if I may say so, get on with the job and both want to deliver the best possible results for the people of the United Kingdom and the people of Germany”.
