AP, Aerzen :
President Barack Obama says it could take a decade for Britain to negotiate a new trade agreement with the United States if it leaves the European Union.
In a BBC interview, Obama said “it could be five years from now, 10 years from now before we were able to actually get something done.”
He said that “the U.K. would not be able to negotiate something with the United States faster than the EU.”
Obama flies to Germany Sunday after a U.K. visit during which he angered supporters of an EU exit by making it clear the United States wants Britain to stay in.
He said Friday that Britain would go to the “back of the queue” for a trade deal if it votes to leave in a June 23 referendum.11:00 a.m.
Germany’s vice chancellor is urging the United States to budge in negotiations on a free trade deal with Europe and warns that the hoped-for accord could fail if Washington doesn’t give ground.
President Barack Obama is expected in Germany Sunday, hoping to build momentum for the so-called Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP. The German government is also keen to clinch the deal.
However, Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel was quoted Sunday as telling the Handelsblatt newspaper that “the Americans want to stick to their ‘buy American’ idea. We can’t accept that.”
He also complained that the U.S. doesn’t want to open public tenders to companies from Europe.
Gabriel said: “If the Americans stick to this position, we don’t need a free trade agreement. Then TTIP will fail.”
President Barack Obama is hoping to build momentum for a trade deal between the U.S. and Europe during a two-day visit to Germany.
But Obama knows a tough sell awaits him, particularly in Germany. He arrives there Sunday and opposition to the agreement is fierce.
Thousands swarmed the streets Saturday in Hannover, on the eve of Obama’s arrival, to protest the agreement. In November, more than 100,000 protested the deal in Berlin.
President Barack Obama says it could take a decade for Britain to negotiate a new trade agreement with the United States if it leaves the European Union.
In a BBC interview, Obama said “it could be five years from now, 10 years from now before we were able to actually get something done.”
He said that “the U.K. would not be able to negotiate something with the United States faster than the EU.”
Obama flies to Germany Sunday after a U.K. visit during which he angered supporters of an EU exit by making it clear the United States wants Britain to stay in.
He said Friday that Britain would go to the “back of the queue” for a trade deal if it votes to leave in a June 23 referendum.11:00 a.m.
Germany’s vice chancellor is urging the United States to budge in negotiations on a free trade deal with Europe and warns that the hoped-for accord could fail if Washington doesn’t give ground.
President Barack Obama is expected in Germany Sunday, hoping to build momentum for the so-called Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP. The German government is also keen to clinch the deal.
However, Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel was quoted Sunday as telling the Handelsblatt newspaper that “the Americans want to stick to their ‘buy American’ idea. We can’t accept that.”
He also complained that the U.S. doesn’t want to open public tenders to companies from Europe.
Gabriel said: “If the Americans stick to this position, we don’t need a free trade agreement. Then TTIP will fail.”
President Barack Obama is hoping to build momentum for a trade deal between the U.S. and Europe during a two-day visit to Germany.
But Obama knows a tough sell awaits him, particularly in Germany. He arrives there Sunday and opposition to the agreement is fierce.
Thousands swarmed the streets Saturday in Hannover, on the eve of Obama’s arrival, to protest the agreement. In November, more than 100,000 protested the deal in Berlin.
