UK says it will not block EU common defence policy
[LONDON] Britain will not block attempts by the European Union to forge a closer common defence policy as it negotiates its exit from the bloc, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Friday.
Defence minister Michael Fallon had previously said he would stop the creation of an EU army for as long as Britain remained inside the European Union as the new force would undermine the Nato military alliance.
"There is a conversation going on now about the EU's desire to build a common security and defence policy, new architecture for that," Mr Johnson told a London audience on Friday.
"If they want to do that fine ... We are not there to block or to impede further steps towards EU integration if that is what they so desire," he said.
REUTERS
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
International
South Korea president says wants to create ministry to tackle low birth rates
TikTok places ByteDance founder among China moguls in Singapore
US will halt artillery supplies to Israel if it attacks Rafah: Biden
Gen Z is relying on debt more than Millennials did at this age
Trade association survey shows 79% of US biotech companies have contracts with Chinese firms
Hong Kong woos Saudi money in attempt to revive stock market