Brexit: Boris Johnson vows to enact 'will of the people' as he meets EU counterparts in Brussels

Mark Chandler18 July 2016
WEST END FINAL

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Boris Johnson has vowed to enact “the will of the people” over Brexit as he meets his EU counterparts in Brussels today.

The new Foreign Secretary said he would offer reassurance to other foreign ministers that Britain will continue to cooperate closely with them once it leaves the bloc following last month's referendum.

He said: “The message I'll be taking to our friends in the council is that we have to give effect to the will of the people and leave the European Union but that in no sense means that we are leaving Europe.

"We are not going to be in any way abandoning our leading role in European cooperation and participation of all kinds.”

The former Mayor of London is on his first foreign trip since being appointed in a surprise move last week by new Prime Minister Theresa May.

Meeting: Boris Johnson talks to his Belgian counterpart Didier Reynders
REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

Before he arrived, his RAF flight was forced to make a dramatic emergency landing at Luton airport yesterday following a “technical issue”.

He arrived in Belgium later in the evening.

A 45-minute meeting last night with the bloc's high representative for foreign affairs, Federica Mogherin, was described as "warm and productive" and touched on Turkey, Nice and elements of Brexit.

Mr Johnson said: "I had a very good conversation to that effect with High Representative Mogherini and she very much agreed that is a role Britain should continue to play.

"When you look at the discussion on the table this morning over the horrific events in Nice, and Turkey where we have to work very closely together, you see the importance of that.

"On Nice, we will be ensuring that we co-ordinate our response to terror.

"On Turkey, it is very important in light of the failed coup that we see restraint and moderation on all sides, and that is what I will be calling for.

"In the meantime, I am very much looking forward to meeting my colleagues from other European countries."

Meanwhile, the issue of EU migrants rights triggered debate again as "Brexit Minister" David Davis warned a "surge" in immigrants before Britain formally left the EU could lead to new curbs.

Mr Davis, who is in charge of exit arrangements, insisted that a cut-off point might need to be imposed on when newcomers to the country gained full residency rights if the UK's impending withdrawal saw migrant numbers increase.

After a breakfast meeting with US secretary of state John Kerry, Mr Johnson is also expected to have to deal with pressure on the margins of the summit regarding Britain's negotiating stance for its withdrawal.

The attempted Turkish military coup and the crackdown following its failure have caused concern in European capitals as fears emerge it could impact on the EU's deal with Ankara to stem the flow of refugees from the Syrian civil war.

The foreign ministers' summit comes as Mrs May is visiting Wales, which joined England in voting for Brexit, to underline her commitment to withdrawal and the embattled steel industry.

Mrs May is meeting First Minister Carwyn Jones at the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff and reaffirming that she will "fully engage" with the Welsh government on Brexit negotiations.

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