France and Germany are &quot;concerned&quot; over a number of decisions by US President Donald Trump, particularly his move to restrict refugee arrivals, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Saturday.

&quot;This decision can only cause us concern,&quot; he said following a meeting with his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel.

&quot;Welcoming refugees who are fleeing war is part of our duty.&quot;

&quot;But there are a lot of other issues that are causing us concern&quot;, he said.

Donald Trump signed a sweeping new executive order Friday to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travellers from seven Muslim countries.

Trump&#39;s decree suspends the entire US refugee resettlement program for at least 120 days while tough new vetting rules are established. 
 
(AFP) 
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French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said welcoming refugees who are a part of war 'is our duty'

France and Germany are "concerned" over a number of decisions by US President Donald Trump, particularly his move to restrict refugee arrivals, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Saturday. "This decision can only cause us concern," he said following a meeting with his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel. "Welcoming refugees who are fleeing war is part of our duty." "But there are a lot of other issues that are causing us concern", he said. Donald Trump signed a sweeping new executive order Friday to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travellers from seven Muslim countries. Trump's decree suspends the entire US refugee resettlement program for at least 120 days while tough new vetting rules are established. (AFP)

France, Germany 'concerned' about Trump's order on refugees

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Sunday that if US President-elect Donald Trump moves the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem it would have &quot;extremely serious consequences&quot;.

Speaking as 70 countries gather in Paris to try to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, Ayrault told French TV he believed Trump would find it &quot;impossible&quot; to fulfil the pledge he made during his campaign to transfer the embassy.

&quot;When you are president of the United States, you cannot take such a stubborn and such a unilateral view on this issue. You have to try to create the conditions for peace,&quot; Ayrault said.

Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas warned Saturday that peace could be dealt a mortal blow if Trump, who has vowed unstinting support for Israel, moves the embassy to Jerusalem.

Doing so would reverse decades of US policy that has until now maintained that the final status of Jerusalem &mdash; whose eastern and largely Arab side has been occupied by Israel since 1967 &mdash; should be determined in peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

The Paris meeting is mainly symbolic, but comes at a crucial juncture for the Middle East, five days before Trump is sworn in as US president.

(AFP)

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said that as US president, Trump could not take such a 'stubborn and unilateral view' on the matter

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Sunday that if US President-elect Donald Trump moves the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem it would have "extremely serious consequences". Speaking as 70 countries gather in Paris to try to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, Ayrault told French TV he believed Trump would find it "impossible" to fulfil the pledge he made during his campaign to transfer the embassy. "When you are president of the United States, you cannot take such a stubborn and such a unilateral view on this issue. You have to try to create the conditions for peace," Ayrault said. Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas warned Saturday that peace could be dealt a mortal blow if Trump, who has vowed unstinting support for Israel, moves the embassy to Jerusalem. Doing so would reverse decades of US policy that has until now maintained that the final status of Jerusalem — whose eastern and largely Arab side has been occupied by Israel since 1967 — should be determined in peace negotiations with the Palestinians. The Paris meeting is mainly symbolic, but comes at a crucial juncture for the Middle East, five days before Trump is sworn in as US president. (AFP)

France warns Trump of 'serious consequences' if US embassy moves to Jerusalem

In Boris Johnson, Britain has appointed a liar with his back against the wall as its new foreign secretary at a time when somebody reliable is needed in the role, his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault said today. 
 
Johnson campaigned successfully for Britons to vote to leave the European Union last month. In France, a founding EU member, he is seen as a key player in the departure and in the setback to European integration it represents. 
 
&quot;I am not at all worried about Boris Johnson, but... during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall,&quot; said Ayrault on Europe 1 radio. 
 
After the vote on June 23, Johnson turned his back on a chance to stand as prime minister in place of Conservative David Cameron, who stepped down having led the campaign to stay. 
 
However, on Wednesday, Cameron&#39;s successor, Theresa May, appointed the former mayor of London and one-time journalist as her foreign secretary. 
 
Johnson will not be in charge of talks about how the divorce will be arranged. May named David Davis, a pro-Brexit former Conservative Party leader, to a special ministerial role for that purpose. 
 
Nevertheless, the normally soft-spoken former French prime minister Ayrault had a strong warning for the new foreign policy chief of his near neighbour. 
 
&quot;(He has) his back against the wall to defend his country but also with his back against the wall the relationship with Europe should be clear,&quot; Ayrault said. 
 
&quot;I need a partner with whom I can negotiate and who is clear, credible and reliable,&quot; he added. 
 
&quot;We cannot let this ambiguous, blurred situation drag on... in the interests of the British themselves.&quot; 
 
France and other EU partners have urged Britain to trigger quickly the process of exiting the bloc so that a two-year period of talks about trade terms and other links can begin. May has indicated she does not intend to do that this year. 
 
(Reuters)

'During the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall,' says Jean-Marc Ayrault

In Boris Johnson, Britain has appointed a liar with his back against the wall as its new foreign secretary at a time when somebody reliable is needed in the role, his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault said today. Johnson campaigned successfully for Britons to vote to leave the European Union last month. In France, a founding EU member, he is seen as a key player in the departure and in the setback to European integration it represents. "I am not at all worried about Boris Johnson, but... during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall," said Ayrault on Europe 1 radio. After the vote on June 23, Johnson turned his back on a chance to stand as prime minister in place of Conservative David Cameron, who stepped down having led the campaign to stay. However, on Wednesday, Cameron's successor, Theresa May, appointed the former mayor of London and one-time journalist as her foreign secretary. Johnson will not be in charge of talks about how the divorce will be arranged. May named David Davis, a pro-Brexit former Conservative Party leader, to a special ministerial role for that purpose. Nevertheless, the normally soft-spoken former French prime minister Ayrault had a strong warning for the new foreign policy chief of his near neighbour. "(He has) his back against the wall to defend his country but also with his back against the wall the relationship with Europe should be clear," Ayrault said. "I need a partner with whom I can negotiate and who is clear, credible and reliable," he added. "We cannot let this ambiguous, blurred situation drag on... in the interests of the British themselves." France and other EU partners have urged Britain to trigger quickly the process of exiting the bloc so that a two-year period of talks about trade terms and other links can begin. May has indicated she does not intend to do that this year. (Reuters)

Boris Johnson is a liar, says French Foreign Minister

In Boris Johnson, Britain has appointed a liar with his back against the wall as its new foreign secretary at a time when somebody reliable is needed in the role, his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault said today.&nbsp; 
 
Johnson campaigned successfully for Britons to vote to leave the European Union last month. In France, a founding EU member, he is seen as a key player in the departure and in the setback to European integration it represents. 
 
&quot;I am not at all worried about Boris Johnson, but... during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall,&quot; said Ayrault on Europe 1 radio. 
 
After the vote on June 23, Johnson turned his back on a chance to stand as prime minister in place of Conservative David Cameron, who stepped down having led the campaign to stay. 
 
However, on Wednesday, Cameron`s successor, Theresa May, appointed the former mayor of London and one-time journalist as her foreign secretary. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/johnson-20160714125658.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Boris Johnson (in photo) campaigned for Britons to vote to leave the European Union last month.
</div>
 
 
Johnson will not be in charge of talks about how the divorce will be arranged. May named David Davis, a pro-Brexit former Conservative Party chairman, to a special ministerial role for that purpose. 
 
Nevertheless, the normally soft-spoken former French prime minister Ayrault had a strong warning for the new foreign policy chief of his near neighbour. 
 
&quot;(He has) his back against the wall to defend his country but also with his back against the wall the relationship with Europe should be clear,&quot; Ayrault said. 
 
&quot;I need a partner with whom I can negotiate and who is clear, credible and reliable,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We cannot let this ambiguous, blurred situation drag on... in the interests of the British themselves.&quot; 
 
France and other EU partners have urged Britain to trigger quickly the process of exiting the bloc so that a two-year period of talks about trade terms and other links can begin. May has indicated she does not intend to do that this year.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

On Wednesday, David Cameron's successor, Theresa May, appointed London's former mayor Boris Johnson as her foreign secretary

In Boris Johnson, Britain has appointed a liar with his back against the wall as its new foreign secretary at a time when somebody reliable is needed in the role, his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault said today. Johnson campaigned successfully for Britons to vote to leave the European Union last month. In France, a founding EU member, he is seen as a key player in the departure and in the setback to European integration it represents. "I am not at all worried about Boris Johnson, but... during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall," said Ayrault on Europe 1 radio. After the vote on June 23, Johnson turned his back on a chance to stand as prime minister in place of Conservative David Cameron, who stepped down having led the campaign to stay. However, on Wednesday, Cameron`s successor, Theresa May, appointed the former mayor of London and one-time journalist as her foreign secretary. Boris Johnson (in photo) campaigned for Britons to vote to leave the European Union last month. Johnson will not be in charge of talks about how the divorce will be arranged. May named David Davis, a pro-Brexit former Conservative Party chairman, to a special ministerial role for that purpose. Nevertheless, the normally soft-spoken former French prime minister Ayrault had a strong warning for the new foreign policy chief of his near neighbour. "(He has) his back against the wall to defend his country but also with his back against the wall the relationship with Europe should be clear," Ayrault said. "I need a partner with whom I can negotiate and who is clear, credible and reliable," he added. "We cannot let this ambiguous, blurred situation drag on... in the interests of the British themselves." France and other EU partners have urged Britain to trigger quickly the process of exiting the bloc so that a two-year period of talks about trade terms and other links can begin. May has indicated she does not intend to do that this year. (Reuters)

UK's Johnson lied in his campaign, now has his back against the wall: French foreign minister

The anti-Brexit front swells its ranks with Germany Foreign Affairs Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and its French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, openly warning against UK leaving the European Union (EU). 
 
&quot;We can both say that we want the majority in Britain to make the right decision, and the right decision from our point of view can only be to remain in Europe,&quot; said Steinmeier during a joint press conference in Brandenburg, close to Berlin. 
 
Addressing eruosceptics&#39; worries, French Foreign Affair Minister promised that the union would keep evolving in time. &quot;Europe can&#39;t be static, it must keep moving,&quot; he said. &quot;Today it faces contradictions, slow-downs, difficulties, anxieties and fears, but we want to give Europe a new dynamism.&rdquo; 
 
Berlin&#39;s representative went as far as saying that the 23 June referendum could eventually lead to the &quot;disintegration&quot; of the EU. &quot;It would be a shock that would require mutual assurances that the European Union continues to stick together,&quot; he said. 
 
Euroscepticism has played a significant role in the history of&nbsp;UK politics. Since the end&nbsp;of the Second World War,&nbsp;the English attitude towards a united Europe&nbsp;has always been ambiguous.&nbsp;A position well summarized by then-Prime Minister&nbsp;Winston Churchill, when he&nbsp;declared in a speech in Zuirch&nbsp;that a&nbsp;&quot;kind of United States of Europe&quot; was a necessity, but without involving Britain. 
 
Franco-German statements come directly from two of the founding members of the European Union, as well as&nbsp;two of its&nbsp;leading economies. It is an influential endorsement for anti-Brexit supporters, among which British Prime Minister David Cameron, after a series of polls showed the Brexit front in the lead. 
 
A vote that would leave Britain as an outsider to the EU is &quot;a reality which we don&#39;t want&quot;, said German Foreign Affairs Minister. &quot;Europe would be lacking a lot if Great Britain decided to leave.&quot; 
(AFP)

In a joint press conference, they agreed Brexit could lead to the disintegration of the European Union

The anti-Brexit front swells its ranks with Germany Foreign Affairs Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and its French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, openly warning against UK leaving the European Union (EU). "We can both say that we want the majority in Britain to make the right decision, and the right decision from our point of view can only be to remain in Europe," said Steinmeier during a joint press conference in Brandenburg, close to Berlin. Addressing eruosceptics' worries, French Foreign Affair Minister promised that the union would keep evolving in time. "Europe can't be static, it must keep moving," he said. "Today it faces contradictions, slow-downs, difficulties, anxieties and fears, but we want to give Europe a new dynamism.” Berlin's representative went as far as saying that the 23 June referendum could eventually lead to the "disintegration" of the EU. "It would be a shock that would require mutual assurances that the European Union continues to stick together," he said. Euroscepticism has played a significant role in the history of UK politics. Since the end of the Second World War, the English attitude towards a united Europe has always been ambiguous. A position well summarized by then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill, when he declared in a speech in Zuirch that a "kind of United States of Europe" was a necessity, but without involving Britain. Franco-German statements come directly from two of the founding members of the European Union, as well as two of its leading economies. It is an influential endorsement for anti-Brexit supporters, among which British Prime Minister David Cameron, after a series of polls showed the Brexit front in the lead. A vote that would leave Britain as an outsider to the EU is "a reality which we don't want", said German Foreign Affairs Minister. "Europe would be lacking a lot if Great Britain decided to leave." (AFP)

French and German foreign affairs ministers warn against Brexit