FRANCOIS Hollande has backed Angela Merkel and ruled out holding any talks on future EU relations with Britain until after Brexit.
The outgoing French President told Theresa May Brexit negotiations must first deal with how Britain will leave the bloc before talks can be held on Britain's future relations with the EU..
Mr Hollande told Mrs May in a telephone call that the negotiations must be held in a "clear and constructive manner, so as to lift uncertainties and to fully respect the rules and interests of the 27-member European Union."
The French President is standing firm with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the European Parliament who are seeking to ban trade talks until after Brexit on March 29, 2019.
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A statement from Mr Hollande’s office said: "The President indicated that the talks must at first be about the terms of withdrawal, dealing especially with citizens' rights and obligations resulting from the commitments made by the United Kingdom.
"On the basis of the progress made, we could open discussions on the framework of future relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union.”
Mrs May wants to negotiate Britain's divorce and the future trading relationship with the EU within the two-year time period.
But within hours of triggering Article 50, the European Parliament and Mrs Merkel blocked her plans.
The German Chancellor promised to take a "fair and constructive" approach to Brexit talks, but said Britain could negotiate its new relationship only after it untangles existing EU commitments.
She said: "We must deal with many rights and obligations that have been linked to membership. Only then, later, can we talk about our future relationship."
AFP GETTY
AFP GETTY
In the Prime Minister’s historic letter hand-delivered to European Council President Donald Tusk activating Article 50 she listed a series of key demands.
High on Downing Street’s agenda is conducting simultaneous divorce and trade talks.
In her letter to Mr Tusk, Mrs May said it was "necessary to agree the terms of our future partnership alongside those of our withdrawal from the EU".
But Mrs Merkel gave a frosty reception to the PM's plea, saying talks must first clarify how to unravel the commitments, rights and duties which the UK has entered into over its 44-year membership
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REUTERS
The German Chancellor said: "It is only if we have sorted that out that we can next - and I hope soon -talk about our future relationship.”
A draft resolution expected to be approved by the European Parliament on April 5 also stipulates that a trade deal cannot be sealed until after UK withdrawal.
It proposes a three-year time limit for a transitional period to thrash out an agreement following the likely Brexit date in 2019.
