Hasbara Buster
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Germany warns UK against blackmailing EU
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has warned Britain against "blackmailing" the European Union with threats of leaving the bloc.
"We want to keep Britain in the EU and not force it out," Schaeuble said in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung on Sunday. "But I will also say that does not mean anyone can blackmail us."
Britain has belonged to the European Union since 1973 but has not joined the 17-nation eurozone yet.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said last month that he still supports Britains EU membership but cannot accept the "status quo" and wants a "new settlement" involving repatriating some powers.
He has also been urged by his Conservative party members to give a chance to the British public to vote on Britains membership of the EU at the next general election in 2015, or even before.
This is the first time a UK Prime Minister has openly conceded the prospect of life outside the EU.
Meanwhile, Schaeuble called on Britain to avoid the referendum saying that it would cause "uncertainty.
"We want to keep Britain in the EU and not push it out," he said. "Our British friends are not dangerous, but a referendum would create uncertainty."
Cameron is expected to outline his views on the UK membership in the EU in a highly anticipated speech that has been delayed since autumn and is now expected to be in January.
A recent poll in The Observer newspaper showed that 56 percent of people would vote for the UK to go it alone if they were offered the choice in a referendum.
PressTV - Germany warns UK against blackmailing EU
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has warned Britain against "blackmailing" the European Union with threats of leaving the bloc.
"We want to keep Britain in the EU and not force it out," Schaeuble said in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung on Sunday. "But I will also say that does not mean anyone can blackmail us."
Britain has belonged to the European Union since 1973 but has not joined the 17-nation eurozone yet.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said last month that he still supports Britains EU membership but cannot accept the "status quo" and wants a "new settlement" involving repatriating some powers.
He has also been urged by his Conservative party members to give a chance to the British public to vote on Britains membership of the EU at the next general election in 2015, or even before.
This is the first time a UK Prime Minister has openly conceded the prospect of life outside the EU.
Meanwhile, Schaeuble called on Britain to avoid the referendum saying that it would cause "uncertainty.
"We want to keep Britain in the EU and not push it out," he said. "Our British friends are not dangerous, but a referendum would create uncertainty."
Cameron is expected to outline his views on the UK membership in the EU in a highly anticipated speech that has been delayed since autumn and is now expected to be in January.
A recent poll in The Observer newspaper showed that 56 percent of people would vote for the UK to go it alone if they were offered the choice in a referendum.
PressTV - Germany warns UK against blackmailing EU
