Sunday, January 29, 2017

Merkel and Löfven will meet in the uncertain position – financial times

Policy. With Britain on the road to leaving the EU will be the relationship to Germany is even more important for Sweden.

On Tuesday, German chancellor Angela Merkel to Stockholm.

Prime minister Stefan Löfven and Angela Merkel have met many times, both in the various EU summits and one-on-one. But it will be the first time that Stefan Löfven will take against Angela Merkel in a Comment.

She comes at a time when many major issues are in the air. How will this affect the EU, to Donald Trump become the new american president? What happens with the EU when the Uk leaves? What can the EU do to prevent the new flyktingkatastrofer in the Mediterranean sea?

New alliances

In march is expected to the Uk a formal request to leave the EU. It is the first time a country leaves the EU and complicated negotiations await. For the Swedish part is lost one of the closest allies and building new alliances and developing old.

Sweden and Germany are often on the same line in the EU, not least in the commission, but the relationship becomes even more important now.

And even Angela Merkel are in need of like-minded partners, especially now when France has problems at home and does not put equal force on the German-French cooperation.

– Even if Germany is the undisputed leader in Europe, they are challenged – in the south because of the euro crisis, in the east on the basis of migration policy. Germany and Merkel are in need of constructive partner in the EU cooperation, ” says Björn Fägersten, Europachef at the institute of Foreign affairs.

Merkel telefondiplomat

Merkel is said to be a frequent telefondiplomat. She often call around to the different world leaders, discuss and compare impressions. Now, there will be the opportunity to discuss with the Leaves, not the least about Donald Trump and what his presidency might mean for the EU. So far, Trump has not been so concrete, but he says he understand that the british want to leave the EU. And the worst thing for the EU would be perhaps four years of american disinterest, both security and economic reasons.

– If the transatlantic link is starting to tremble, so will Germany be even more vigilant, and will stabilise the european cooperation, so that it does not collapse together. It is one more reason for Sweden to keep to Germany”, says Björn Fägersten.

Summit in Malta

At the end of the week, it is time for Merkel and Leaves to be seen again, then in Malta’s capital, Valletta. Both the Malta, which is currently presiding the EUROPEAN union, and Italy is pressing for the EUROPEAN union to act in order to prevent a new wave of refugees across the Mediterranean. Last year, drowned around 5 000 people, when they tried to take the dangerous path to Europe.

One of the more controversial proposals circulated ahead of the meeting is that the EU should contribute money to the migrantläger in north Africa, where the migrants would be sent back while waiting for their asylum applications are processed. Then only those with the grounds to get to travel to Europe.

Proposal received “broad support” at a meeting among the EU ministers of the interior in the week. But it has been criticized from the left and there are many questions relating to the camps would be in Egypt, Libya and Algeria.

the FACTS

Merkel’s visit

Lands on Tuesday morning and received nutritional and minister for innovation were appointed Mikael Damberg.

Meet the royal couple at the Palace in the morning.

Eat lunch and meet with prime minister Stefan Löfven in a Comment.

During the afternoon involved the prime minister and the chancellor at a seminar on “innovation and collaboration for a sustainable future, where both give speeches.

Source: The government offices of sweden

TT

LikeTweet

No comments:

Post a Comment