EU ministers expect strong ties with US president-elect

EU ministers expect strong ties with US president-elect

November 15, 2016
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, left, shakes hands with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, right, during a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the EU Council building in Brussels on Monday. — AP
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, left, shakes hands with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, right, during a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the EU Council building in Brussels on Monday. — AP

[caption id="attachment_98738" align="alignleft" width="271"]British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, left, shakes hands with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, right, during a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the EU Council building in Brussels on Monday. — AP British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, left, shakes hands with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, right, during a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the EU Council building in Brussels on Monday. — AP
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BRUSSELS — European Union foreign ministers insisted on Sunday they expected good relations with Donald Trump, after a crisis meeting that Britain, France and Hungary snubbed in a move that exposed rifts over the US president-elect.

The ministers said they wanted more details about Republican Trump’s plans following his shock election win, which has sparked anxiety in Europe due to his campaign-trail rhetoric questioning US commitment to the continent.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called the special dinner on the eve of a scheduled meeting of the ministers, but some capitals criticized the decision to have an emergency meeting on a democratic election result in a key ally.

“We are looking forward to a very strong partnership with the next administration, we’ve decided together to engage with the incoming administration even from this very first week of transition,” Mogherini told reporters afterward.

“It’s not up to us... it’s up to the next US administration to define to define their own position,” she said following the two-and-a-half hour meeting.

“For the moment it’s not a wait and see attitude we can afford having, because the world goes on, Europe goes on, crisis goes on, but also opportunities we can take go on,” she said.

Mogherini also hit out at British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s decision to sit out the meeting, linking it to Britain’s referendum vote in June to leave the 28-nation EU, which has left London needing US support for new trade deals.

“I guess it’s only normal for a country that has decided to leave not to be so interested in our discussion on the future of our relations,” she said.

Britain’s Foreign Office said on Saturday, explaining Johnson’s absence, that “we do not see the need for an additional meeting on Sunday because the US election timetable is long established.

“An act of democracy has taken place, there is a transition period and we will work with the current and future administrations to ensure the best outcomes for Britain.”

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, another no-show, said on Friday that the meeting was “completely premature” and hit out at “frustrated and hysterical statements have been made in Europe” on the theme.

“Until we don’t know who will be in charge of the direction of US diplomacy, until the White House officially makes public its economic and foreign policy priorities, this is a complete waste of time, I don’t know what we have to talk about.”

In Paris, the French foreign ministry said Ayrault was unable to attend the dinner as he had a “very important meeting” early Monday with incoming UN chief Antonio Guterres.

The three were replaced at the dinner table by their respective EU ambassadors. — AFP


November 15, 2016
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