France, Germany discuss reform plans
FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Berlin yesterday for talks with Angela Merkel aimed at winning support from the German chancellor for his ambitious reform plans for the EU.
The meeting also gives Merkel and Macron a last chance to discuss Europe’s stance on the crisis in Syria and the fate of the nuclear deal with Iran before both leaders fly to Washington next week for talks with US President Donald Trump.
France and Germany were part of the group that negotiated the 2015 deal to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and both countries are keen to prevent it from falling apart when Trump’s May 12 deadline for changes to the pact expires.
On Syria, Berlin’s decision not to join the US, Britain and France in attacking Syria last week highlighted Germany’s hesitancy when it comes to military action abroad.
While the two leaders agree on the need to step up protection of the EU’s external borders and agree a common asylum policy, it’s unclear how much backing Macron can expect from Germany for his plans to reform the bloc’s financial structure.
In their deal to form a new German government, Merkel’s conservative party and its centre-left partners agreed that Germany – like France – is prepared to pay more into the EU budget.
But Berlin has been sceptical to the possibility of a shared budget and Merkel is lukewarm about Macron’s idea of a eurozone finance minister. – AP