Hollande agrees Britain needs time to prepare Brexit talks

PARIS: French President Francois Hollande said Thursday he understands Britain needs time to prepare for negotiations on leaving the European Union, as he warned London must choose between allowing free movement and seeing trade restrictions introduced.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said after talks with Hollande in Paris that she was committed to obtaining limits on EU migration in her negotiations on Brexit.

“The United Kingdom has decided to leave the European Union. Its their choice, its their responsibility and we respect that decision ... There can be no discussions, no pre- negotiation before the negotiation,” Hollande said.

“But there can be preparations for this negotiation,” he added.

“But I repeat. The sooner the better, it’s in the common interest, of Europe, the United Kingdom, and our economies,” he said.

Since Britain voted in June to leave the 28- nation bloc it has faced pressure from European leaders to get on with the process of divorce.

Hollande also said Britain needed to make a choice between allowing free movement of Europeans into the country and seeing restricted trade with the bloc.

“It’s the most crucial point ... Britain will have to choose: stay in the single market and accept free movement or have another status,” he said after talks with May.

The British leader, who took over from David Cameron over the Brexit vote, vowed that she was committed to restricting migration into Britain.

“The message the British people gave in their vote for the UK to leave the EU had a very clear message that we should introduce some controls to the movement of individuals from EU countries into the UK.

“I’m clear the government should deliver, and will deliver on that for the British people,” she said. — AFP