German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and British Prime Minister Theresa May attend a press conference after talks at the chancellery in Berlin on July 20, 2016.
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The visit marks the start of Britain’s discussions with European leaders about the terms of Brexit as Mrs May seeks to “forge strong and successful relationships”.
The Prime Minister, appearing alongside German chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, insisted that the United Kingdom would remain an “outward-looking country” after the European Union referendum result.
“We will continue to work together to stem the flow of migrants across the Aegean and the Mediterranean”.
Mrs Merkel said it was “absolutely understandable” that the United Kingdom would want to delay the opening of formal talks on its withdrawal from the European Union to give itself time to work out its negotiating position.
The Prime Minister stressed that she wanted the UK’s departure to be orderly and constructive, and expressed hope that the country would secure the “closest relationship” with Germany after Brexit.
“We will not invoke Article 50 until our objectives are clear, which is why I’ve said already this will not happen before the end of this year”, May said on Wednesday, referring to the formal process for leaving the EU.
Both Scotland and Northern Ireland, constituent countries within the United Kingdom, voted in the referendum to remain in the European Union, and the vote to leave has revived talk in both countries of leaving the UK instead. Britain wants to concentrate instead on the negotiations to leave the EU.
“But I also want to be clear here today and across Europe in weeks ahead that we are not walking away from our European friends”.
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.
Key sticking points in the Brexit negotiations could be freedom of movement and the timetable for triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which starts the two-year countdown to Britain’s formal departure.
“There’s no wiggle room”, said Simon Hix, professor of political science at the London School of Economics, citing resistance to Britain’s demands in Germany and in Brussels. “But we all have an interest in this matter being carefully prepared, positions being clearly defined and delineated”, she said.
May is likely to get that same message again on Thursday when she visits French President François Hollande in Paris.
Asked by a German journalist whether the appointment of Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary was “like putting a player on the pitch who doesn’t want to play”, Ms May said: “I have appointed a team of ministers, and we will be looking to build good relations”. While the two will discuss the status of Article 50, no pre-negotiations will take place “formally or informally”, she said.
But it has also effectively admitted that it is not really sure what that recession will look like, and can not say with any certainty what is going to happen to the British economy going forward.
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Hollande has a presidential election looming next year and is coming under pressure from the far-right National Front, which wants France to leave the European Union too.
