UK PM to visit Berlin, Paris in first foreign trip

Theresa May will visit Berlin on Wednesday in her first foreign visit as Britain’s new Prime Minister, Downing Street said, for talks with German Chancellor Ange-la Merkel on the UK’s pre-parations to leave the EU.

She will then head for Paris on Thursday for similar talks with French President Francois Holla-nde, and for discussions on counter-terrorism coo-peration following the Nice attack, a spokeswoman said on Monday.

They are Ms May’s first foreign visits since she became Prime Minister on July 13 in the wake of Britain’s referendum vote to leave the European Union.

Incoming British Premiers normally make early visits to establish personal links with key European leaders, but this week’s trip will be highly charged by the referendum outcome and the need to forge a new relationship between Britain and the continent’s major powers.

After taking her first weekly Prime Minister’s questions session in the British Parliament, Ms May will travel to Berlin for a meeting and a worki-ng dinner with Ms Merkel. “This will be an opportunity to discuss the bilateral relationship, cooperation on a range of global challenges, and of course how the UK and Germany can work together as the UK prepares to leave the EU,” the spokeswoman said. Then on Thursday, she will visit Paris for a meeting with Mr Hollande at the president’s Elysee Palace official residence.

“The talks are likely to cover similar issues as those in Berlin, as well as Thursday’s attack in Nice and counter-terrorism cooperation,” the spokeswoman said.

Elysee sources said Ms May would be due in Paris late Thursday, with three subjects on the agenda: external security and the battle against terror; implementing Brexit and the importance of Franco-British relations.

However, Ms May will not get into a detailed Brexit discussion with Ms Merkel and Mr Hollande during her first foreign trips, her spokeswoman said.

“Of course you’re going to talk about political realities — and that is the decision of the British people to leave the EU — but ... It will be their first meeting as head of state and government and so I don’t expect it to get into lots of detailed discussions,” the spokeswoman said.

Ms May will meet Ms Merkel on Wednesday to discuss how they can work together after Britain voted to leave the European Union in June 23 referendum, and then head to Paris to meet Mr Hollande for talks on Brexit, the attacks in Nice and counter-terrorism.

“Of course you’re going to talk about political realities — and that is the decision of the British people to leave the European Union — but ... It will be their first meeting as head of state and government and so I don’t expect it to get into lots of detailed discussions,” the spokeswoman said.