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'Still time to negotiate,' Angela Merkel says after Brexit vote

"We still have time to negotiate" a Brexit deal, says German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the wake of the British Parliament's rejection of an agreement hammered out between the EU and British Prime Minister Theresa May. She said the decision on how to proceed is now with May. Germany and the EU will have to wait to see what suggestions come from London, said Merkel. But she added that the Bundestag will meet on Thursday to consider laws that would come into effect should Britain leave with no deal.

AFP WORLD
Published January 16,2019
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday "we still have time to negotiate" after the British parliament overwhelmingly rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's deal on leaving the European Union.

"We still have time to negotiate but we're now waiting on what the prime minister proposes," Merkel said in comments broadcast on news channel NTV.

"I very much regret that the British lower house last night rejected the agreement," she said.

"We believe it is up to the British side, as the prime minister has announced, to tell us what happens next.

"We want to limit the damage, and there certainly will be damage..., as much as possible.

"That's why of course we will continue to pursue an orderly solution. But we are also ready in case there is no such orderly solution."