Ahead of his first meeting with Theresa May as Prime Minister, French President Francois Hollande has issued a warning that the Brexit negotiations should not be allowed to “drag on”.
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He thanked the Irish for their solidarity following the recent attack in Nice which killed 84 people.
Delaying the process “could create a damaging uncertainty”, Hollande said at a press conference with Kenny.
“The United Kingdom has chose to leave the European Union and we respect that decision”.
He said: “There is no doubt that the France people who reside in the United Kingdom will be able to continue to work there and that the British people in France will be able to continue to work there and spend as much time as they wish”.
Francois Hollande today warned Theresa May not to delay triggering Brexit, insisting: “The sooner you go the better”.
Mr Hollande, who has previously said that withdrawal talks under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty “cannot be delayed or cancelled”, said: “Should the negotiations be shorter?”
Lamy cited Norway’s access to the single market under the condition they accept free movement and pay contributions to the European Union budget. Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart has asked for a change in the agreement, while former minister and newly-elected president of the Calais region, Xavier Bertrand, has said France should not be responsible for stopping migrants from making illegal crossings to the UK.
Britain and France have had an on-off relationship for hundreds of years, culminating in the Napoleonic War (1803-14) caused by British irritation at Napoleon’s domination of Europe.
Ms May indicated that she will not seek to start formal negotiations until next year.
May has repeatedly asked for patience as her new government maps out its strategy for ending its 43-year-old membership of the European Union despite some European Union countries wanting Britain out of the bloc as soon as possible.
“Unique concerns” on Brexit -Ireland’s concerns revolve mainly around the future of its lucrative exports to Britain and its border with British-ruled Northern Ireland, which would be the EU’s only land border with Britain once it has left. Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far right Front National, was jubilant after the Brexit vote, calling it the most important moment since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
It is a crushing blow to Mrs May’s pledge to slash migration to the tens of thousands after Brexit but also protect free trade with Europe.
“In effect, both countries have specific and indeed unique concerns to be addressed in future negotiations”, they said.
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Saying he did not want to punish the British people for their decision to leave, Hollande repeated his mantra over a quick divorce.
