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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/feb/03/theresa-may-discuss-trump-visit-brexit-eu-migration-summit
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| Theresa May's meeting with Angela Merkel at EU summit is cancelled | Theresa May's meeting with Angela Merkel at EU summit is cancelled |
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| Downing Street has dismissed the idea that Theresa May suffered a snub at an EU summit in Malta when her planned talks with Angela Merkel were called off, insisting the leaders had talked at sufficient length during an informal walkabout. | Downing Street has dismissed the idea that Theresa May suffered a snub at an EU summit in Malta when her planned talks with Angela Merkel were called off, insisting the leaders had talked at sufficient length during an informal walkabout. |
| The post-lunch bilateral meeting with the German chancellor had been the planned highlight of a day of talks officially aimed at tackling the refugee crisis but featuring much discussion about Donald Trump and the approach of Brexit. | The post-lunch bilateral meeting with the German chancellor had been the planned highlight of a day of talks officially aimed at tackling the refugee crisis but featuring much discussion about Donald Trump and the approach of Brexit. |
| However, shortly before it was due to take place, Downing Street said it was not happening. | However, shortly before it was due to take place, Downing Street said it was not happening. |
| Before lunch, May and Merkel had spent some minutes chatting earnestly as they joined a pre-lunch wander around Valletta’s main sights by the 28 leaders. | Before lunch, May and Merkel had spent some minutes chatting earnestly as they joined a pre-lunch wander around Valletta’s main sights by the 28 leaders. |
| A Downing Street source said this conversation “meant they had covered everything they wanted to talk about, so there was no need for a further bilateral meeting”. | A Downing Street source said this conversation “meant they had covered everything they wanted to talk about, so there was no need for a further bilateral meeting”. |
| It was nonetheless a slightly tricky day for the prime minister, who left after lunch so the remaining leaders could discuss the future of the EU, and was rebuffed when she offered to act as a liaison between Trump and other EU leaders. | It was nonetheless a slightly tricky day for the prime minister, who left after lunch so the remaining leaders could discuss the future of the EU, and was rebuffed when she offered to act as a liaison between Trump and other EU leaders. |
| Asked if May could be a “bridge” to Trump’s administration, François Hollande, the French president, said this was not needed. “It is not about asking one particular country, be it the UK or any other, to represent Europe in its relationship with the United States,” he said. | Asked if May could be a “bridge” to Trump’s administration, François Hollande, the French president, said this was not needed. “It is not about asking one particular country, be it the UK or any other, to represent Europe in its relationship with the United States,” he said. |
| The comments came after May urged other EU leaders over lunch “to work patiently and constructively” with the US, according to Downing Street, calling America “an ally who has helped guarantee the longest period of peace this continent has ever known”. | The comments came after May urged other EU leaders over lunch “to work patiently and constructively” with the US, according to Downing Street, calling America “an ally who has helped guarantee the longest period of peace this continent has ever known”. |
| The summit was officially focused on the Mediterranean migration crisis. In the three months to the end of January, 1,354 migrants and refugees drowned trying to reach Europe, the highest number for such a period. | The summit was officially focused on the Mediterranean migration crisis. In the three months to the end of January, 1,354 migrants and refugees drowned trying to reach Europe, the highest number for such a period. |
| But a day after the government published its Brexit white paper, EU leaders were also looking to the prime minister for reassurance that the UK would not drop international cooperation after it left the bloc. | |
| At the morning session of the summit, May said the EU should seek to replicate the example of assistance to Turkey in keeping refugees and migrants from Syria and other countries nearer their homes and offer particular support to Libya, a Downing Street spokeswoman said. | At the morning session of the summit, May said the EU should seek to replicate the example of assistance to Turkey in keeping refugees and migrants from Syria and other countries nearer their homes and offer particular support to Libya, a Downing Street spokeswoman said. |
| May called for efforts to improve conditions for migrants, support for assisted return and the introduction of tougher penalties for traffickers, the spokeswoman said. | May called for efforts to improve conditions for migrants, support for assisted return and the introduction of tougher penalties for traffickers, the spokeswoman said. |
| “She said that in all we do we must be careful not to inadvertently increase the pull factors encouraging people to risk their lives to reach Europe … [May also] said we have played a central part in tackling this crisis and the EU can count on us to remain a reliable partner”. | “She said that in all we do we must be careful not to inadvertently increase the pull factors encouraging people to risk their lives to reach Europe … [May also] said we have played a central part in tackling this crisis and the EU can count on us to remain a reliable partner”. |
| The British government’s initiative is part of the so-called Malta declaration. Agreed by all the members of the EU, it is designed to reduce the numbers of people travelling and dying on their way to Europe. | The British government’s initiative is part of the so-called Malta declaration. Agreed by all the members of the EU, it is designed to reduce the numbers of people travelling and dying on their way to Europe. |
| The focus of the efforts of the European council, whose membership comprises the 28 EU states, has switched in recent months to preventing huge movements of people coming through a central Mediterranean route . Arrivals last year from the eastern Mediterranean fell to a third of the levels of 2015 after the deal between the EU and Turkey. | The focus of the efforts of the European council, whose membership comprises the 28 EU states, has switched in recent months to preventing huge movements of people coming through a central Mediterranean route . Arrivals last year from the eastern Mediterranean fell to a third of the levels of 2015 after the deal between the EU and Turkey. |
| An EU source said the vast majority of those coming through the central Mediterranean were economic migrants from Africa – particularly Nigeria – rather than those fleeing the Syrian conflict. | An EU source said the vast majority of those coming through the central Mediterranean were economic migrants from Africa – particularly Nigeria – rather than those fleeing the Syrian conflict. |
| A statement from the council said the focus would be on training, providing equipment and supporting the Libyan national coastguard. | A statement from the council said the focus would be on training, providing equipment and supporting the Libyan national coastguard. |
| May was among the few leaders not to speak to the media as she arrived at the summit and, unlike most of them, did not schedule a press conference. | May was among the few leaders not to speak to the media as she arrived at the summit and, unlike most of them, did not schedule a press conference. |
| She had talks in the morning with the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, and Christian Kern, the Austrian chancellor. | She had talks in the morning with the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, and Christian Kern, the Austrian chancellor. |
| She “reiterated our desire to have a strong partnership with the EU in future, including cooperation on trade, security and home affairs”, a Downing Street source said after the talks. | She “reiterated our desire to have a strong partnership with the EU in future, including cooperation on trade, security and home affairs”, a Downing Street source said after the talks. |
| The summit, held at the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta, was May’s first encounter with the other EU leaders since a meeting in Bratislava in December where she was pictured standing alone at one point as they chatted around her. | The summit, held at the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta, was May’s first encounter with the other EU leaders since a meeting in Bratislava in December where she was pictured standing alone at one point as they chatted around her. |
| After May left, the remaining 27 EU leaders discussed how Brexit can be handled and preparations for next month’s 60th anniversary of the treaty of Rome, which set up the EU’s precursor, the European Economic Community. | After May left, the remaining 27 EU leaders discussed how Brexit can be handled and preparations for next month’s 60th anniversary of the treaty of Rome, which set up the EU’s precursor, the European Economic Community. |
| The summit comes during a busy period of international meetings for May. After last week’s high-profile visit to Washington, she held talks in Ankara with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On Monday, she is scheduled to host the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, at Downing Street. | The summit comes during a busy period of international meetings for May. After last week’s high-profile visit to Washington, she held talks in Ankara with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On Monday, she is scheduled to host the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, at Downing Street. |