BRICS leaders congratulate new UK Prime Minister May
July 14, 2016, 5:39 am

May asked European leaders for time to prepare for the negotiations to take Britain out of the EU [Xinhua]

Congratulations to @theresa_may on taking over as the new UK PM. Looking forward to working with her for stronger India-UK ties @Number10gov

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2016

Russian President Putin also “reaffirmed his commitment to pursue constructive dialogue and work together with the British Prime Minister on pressing issues of the bilateral relationship and the international agenda,” said a Kremlin statement.

“In his message to Theresa May, the President congratulated her on being appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain and underscored his belief that it is in the vital interests of both nations to preserve and expand the significant level of Russian-UK cooperation that has been achieved in various fields over the course of many years,” it added.

Both Modi and Putin thanked outgoing Prime Minister David Cameron for furthering British ties with their countries.

“I hope that your vast political experience will be sought after both in the United Kingdom and in the international community,” Putin’s message to Cameron said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in his congratulatory message to May said China is looking forward to May’s attendance at the G20 summit in Hangzhou scheduled for September.

Li also referred to holding “a new round of annual prime ministerial meeting” between the two sides.

“China appreciates Britain’s pioneering spirit in its effort to boost cooperation with China, and is ready to work with Britain to expand and deepen bilateral relations so as to better benefit the two peoples,” Li was quoted a saying by Chinese agency Xinhua.

In contrast, messages of EU leaders were terse and dwelt on the tough days ahead as May looks to begin talks on the country’s divorce from the European Union.

French President Francois Hollande “reiterated his wish for the negotiations on Britain’s departure from the European Union to be undertaken as soon as possible,” said a Elysee statement.

President of the EU Commission Jean-Claude Juncker referred to the “new situation” in UK-EU ties in his message to Theresa May on Wednesday.

“The outcome of the United Kingdom’s referendum has created a new situation which the United Kingdom and the European Union will need to address soon,” Juncker said.

President of the European Council, Donald Tusk said he looked forward to a “fruitful working relationship” with the new British Prime Minister.

May asked European leaders for time to prepare for the negotiations to take Britain out of the EU but restated her commitment that “Brexit means Brexit” when she entered Downing Street for the first time as prime minister on Wednesday.

May announced key appointments to her cabinet: former foreign secretary Philip Hammond has been named new chancellor of the exchequer, Boris Johnson as foreign secretary, and Amber Rudd as home secretary. David Davis has been appointed as the secretary of state for exiting the EU.

Liam Fox will head a new Department for International Trade.

Boris Johnson, the new Foreign Secretary, had said earlier that the UK has been barred from inking free trade deals with countries like China and India owing to its EU membership.

Johnson made the comments earlier in May this year while criticising US President Barack Obama’s intervention in the EU debate.

“The substantive point is that we were told by President Obama that in respect of international trade, we would have to get to the back of the queue. Not a position that America normally requires the United Kingdom to be in when it comes to other matters, for instance the Iraq war, and it is absurd to tell us we will have to be at the back of the queue when for 42 years we’ve been unable to do a free trade deal with China, India, Australia or New Zealand and the United States of America because we are in the EU,” Johnson told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

TBP