German Chancellor Angela Merkel wooed a welcoming but skeptical audience
of British lawmakers Thursday with a call for a strong, unified Europe
with Britain at its heart.
Merkel addressed Britain's Parliament during a visit full of ceremonial
honor and political purpose. Prime Minister David Cameron sees Merkel as
a potential ally in reshaping the European Union, and laid on lunch at
the prime minister's Downing St. residence and tea with Queen Elizabeth
II on top of the speech to lawmakers.
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The pomp stands in contrast to a recent visit by France's socialist
President Francois Hollande, who was treated to a press conference in an
aircraft hangar and lunch in a pub.
Cameron, under pressure from Euroskeptics inside and outside his
Conservative Party, has promised a referendum on leaving the EU if he
wins the next election. He hopes to renegotiate Britain's membership to
persuade voters to stick with the 28-nation bloc — but so far has few
European allies for the project.
Merkel, who shares some of Cameron's center-right views, said the
eurozone economic crisis had driven home the need for a tighter rein on
the bloc's finances, and she backed the idea of closer economic
coordination and less bureaucracy.
"We must always bear in mind that the world is not waiting for Europe —
economic strength and competitiveness must constantly be strengthened
and renewed," she said.
She also stressed the importance of freedom of trade and movement and "a Europe without borders."
Merkel said she was "caught between the devil and the deep blue sea" of
Britain's Euroskeptic and pro-European forces, and predicted her speech
would disappoint both sides.
She was an enthusiastic guest at Parliament, warmly praising Britain for
its fight against Nazism during World War II and speaking for long
stretches in English.
EU-Digest
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