By Michel Rose CARBIS BAY, England (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron offered on Saturday to reset relations with Britain as long as Prime Minister Boris Johnson stands by the Brexit divorce deal he signed with the European Union. Since Britain completed its exit from the EU late last year, relations with the bloc and particularly France have soured, with Macron becoming the most vocal critic of London s refusal to honour the terms of part of its Brexit deal. At a meeting at the Group of Seven rich nations in southwestern England, Macron told Johnson the two countries had common interests, but that ties could improve only if Johnson kept his word on Brexit, a source said. The president told Boris Johnson there needed to be a reset of the Franco-British relationship, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. This can happen provided that he keeps his word with the Europeans, the source said, adding that Macron spoke in English to Johnson. The Elysee Palace said tha
By Michel Rose and Elizabeth Piper CARBIS BAY, England (Reuters) -Britain will do whatever it takes to protect its territorial integrity in a trade dispute with the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday, threatening emergency measures if no solution was found. The threat by Johnson seemed to break a temporary truce in a war of words over part of the Brexit deal that covers border issues with Northern Ireland, the focus for tensions since Britain completed its exit from the EU late last year. Despite U.S. President Joe Biden encouraging them to find a compromise, Johnson used a G7 summit to indicate no softening in his position on what is called the Northern Ireland protocol that covers border issues with the British province. I think we can sort it out but .. it is up to our EU friends and partners to understand that we will do whatever it takes, Johnson told Sky News. I think if the protocol continues to be applied in this way, then we will obviously not hesita
CARBIS BAY, England (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau led a Group of Seven discussion of China on Saturday and called on leaders to come up with a unified approach to the challenges posed by the People s Republic, a source said. G7 leaders - who together control about $40 trillion in economic clout - reached broad alignment on building a concerted approach to China, the source with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters. Trudeau s message today was that we really need to work to build a consensus on a unified approach to the challenges that China presents all of us, the source said. We have to show solidarity as a group and show action as a group as well. There is a general alignment at the G7 on China, the source said. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kate Holton and Michael Holden)
By William James CARBIS BAY, England (Reuters) -British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Friday there was no doubt some countries were using vaccines as a diplomatic tool to secure influence but Britain did not support so-called vaccine diplomacy. Raab was speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of a G7 summit in Cornwall, southwestern England, that was likely to be dominated by the West s attempts to reassert its influence as the world looks to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic. Western diplomats fear Russia and China are using their vaccines to gain influence across the world, especially in poorer countries that do not have their own production or the means to buy shots on the international market. Asked whether he was concerned that China and Russia could use vaccines in exchange for influence, Raab said: There s no doubt there s some of this is going about, and we don t support vaccine diplomacy, let alone blackmail. We think that we ve got a moral duty, but also a strong vested