Hollande warns Britain there is a price to pay for Brexit

PARIS, Oct 7 (KUNA) -- French President Francois Hollande warned in a speech published Friday that Britain would have to pay the price for its decision to leave the European Union, a process commonly called "Brexit".
In a key-note speech at the "Jacques Delors Think Tank" institute late Thursday, the French leader told French and European Union officials - including EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker - that the EU must take a tough stance in the Brexit negotiations with London in order to discourage other members from threatening to leave or from leaving the now 27-member Union.
Britain has said it will begin the formal withdrawal process from the EU next March and is undertaking difficult negotiations with its former partners and the EU Commission in Brussels.
Hollande affirmed that "it is very important that this Union be preserved" and that "the European project be carried forward even in this time that is so difficult," with the impetus of the European Commission.
The French leader acknowledged that Europe has lived through many crises but that what is happening now is "the crisis of its foundation, with the departure of a country, with deep divisions within the Union, with divergences which has deepened with the return of nationalism, with the rise of populism." He said this is not just another crisis, "this is Europe's crisis in terms of its foundation and in terms of its (European) project," according to the speech released by the Elysee Palace.
Hollande also stressed the impact of the recent refugee crisis on Europe and he observed that this crisis brought to the fore the deep differences among Europeans on how to handle the influx of hundreds-of-thousands of refugees, many from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The refugee question brought "a crisis of meaning" to the EU and was followed by the Brexit decision, which has shaken Europe, but was a decision based mainly on the issue of immigration and not on EU membership, Hollande indicated.
"We are faced with this situation and now we have to see how we can overcome it," he added.
A "road map" has been adopted for Brexit and we should stick to that, the President said, noting that "we have to be clear on several subjects," among them "national sovereignty, borders, immigration and security," in addition to economic growth and jobs which is a "priority." Hollande referred to previous crises with Britain, particularly under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who often criticised the EU and its policies.
"At that time, Madame Thatcher...wanted to stay in Europe but receive a cheque in return. Today, Britain wants to leave but doesn't want to pay anything. That's not possible," Hollande warned.
He recalled the strong ties between Britain and France, and Europe, but he said an end must be put to "ambiguity" on Brexit.
"Britain has decided to do Brexit, even a hard Brexit, therefore we must bow to the ultimate will of the British (people)." He said there must be "firmness" on the part of the EU in this process because otherwise it would give ideas to other EU members "to leave the European Union to have supposed advantages." (End) jk.tg