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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| The Latest: Czech leader ready to work with Britain | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BERLIN — The Latest on preparations for the start of the European Union summit (all times local): | BERLIN — The Latest on preparations for the start of the European Union summit (all times local): |
| 2:30 p.m. | |
| The Czech Republic’s prime minister says he is ready to work to achieve an EU deal with Britain on reforms at the EU summit this week, but not at the expense of his country’s citizens. | |
| Bohuslav Sobotka says the limit on benefits for workers that Britain is requesting should not be applicable to those who are already working in Britain, only for workers arriving in the future. | |
| Speaking after a meeting of his government on Wednesday, Sobotka said he is only ready to support a deal with Britain that “will not harm our citizens.” | |
| Only about 35,000 Czechs currently work in Britain, a much smaller number than workers from other Central European post-Communist countries such as Poland or Hungary. | |
| ___ | |
| 1:55 p.m. | 1:55 p.m. |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will press other European Union leaders at a summit this week to work with Turkey to curb the flow of migrants. | German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will press other European Union leaders at a summit this week to work with Turkey to curb the flow of migrants. |
| Merkel says it would be “ridiculous” to talk about setting new quotas to divide up migrants among EU nations when a previous quota has not yet been fulfilled. | Merkel says it would be “ridiculous” to talk about setting new quotas to divide up migrants among EU nations when a previous quota has not yet been fulfilled. |
| Instead, she told parliament on Wednesday that Europe should work with Turkey to improve the lives of Syrian and other refugees there. | Instead, she told parliament on Wednesday that Europe should work with Turkey to improve the lives of Syrian and other refugees there. |
| She says “our goal is to drastically and lastingly reduce the number of migrants so as to better help those people who really need our assistance.” | She says “our goal is to drastically and lastingly reduce the number of migrants so as to better help those people who really need our assistance.” |
| ___ | ___ |
| 1:50 p.m. | 1:50 p.m. |
| Chancellor Angela Merkel says it’s in Germany’s “national interest” for Britain to remain part of the European Union. | Chancellor Angela Merkel says it’s in Germany’s “national interest” for Britain to remain part of the European Union. |
| Merkel told parliament on Wednesday that Britain was a key ally of Germany on many issues and that she would do everything possible to ensure that the nation remained an “active member” of the trade bloc. | Merkel told parliament on Wednesday that Britain was a key ally of Germany on many issues and that she would do everything possible to ensure that the nation remained an “active member” of the trade bloc. |
| Merkel’s comments came ahead of a two-day summit in Brussels where Britain’s upcoming referendum on whether to stay in the EU is a major topic. | Merkel’s comments came ahead of a two-day summit in Brussels where Britain’s upcoming referendum on whether to stay in the EU is a major topic. |
| Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |