British PM, European Council President to meet for Brexit talksSeptember 8, 2016 - 11:46 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Theresa May is to meet European Council President Donald Tusk for the first time since becoming UK prime minister later, with Brexit on the agenda, BBC News reports. In talks at Downing Street, May will say the UK will continue to play a full role in the EU until it leaves. It comes as EU leaders, excluding the UK, prepare to meet next week to sketch out the bloc's future after Brexit. The PM has said the government will not reveal its hand too soon, amid pressure to set out its post-Brexit vision. Tusk - who oversaw the UK's EU renegotiation prior to the in/out referendum - has said he wants to see a "velvet divorce" between the UK and EU, but he has also insisted that there will be no formal talks until the UK triggers the formal process for leaving under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. The meeting between May and Tusk was being billed as an attempt for the two leaders to get to know each other ahead of those negotiations, BBC said. They will also discuss trade, migration, and Russian sanctions and the Ukraine. The PM's official spokeswoman said: "It will be an opportunity in part to talk about the process of leaving the European Union, how we see the upcoming months, but also to talk about the upcoming October European Council and some of the issues that we expect to be on the agenda for that." Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Armenia to participate in key EU meeting for the first time ever National Assembly speaker Alen Simonyan has said that Armenia will for the first time participate in the Conference. U.S. reacts to Russia’s criticism of upcoming Armenia-EU-U.S. meeting Matthew Miller has weighed in on Russia’s criticism of an upcoming Armenia-EU-U.S. meeting. Lavrov sees ‘collapse’ of Russia’s ties with Armenia Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has underscored heightened tensions between Russia and Armenia. Russia warns Armenia against “falling into West’s trap” Zakharova maintained, however, that anything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed. |