Cameron holds talks with Merkel in Berlin
Prime Minister David Cameron takes his family to Berlin as he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel hold discussions about reform of the EU.
Unusually, Mrs Merkel invited Mr Cameron’s wife Samantha and their three children to join them at the 18th century manor house where they are having talks.
The guest house in Meseberg, near Berlin, is where German chancellors receive foreign dignitaries. But this is believed to be the first time a foreign leader’s children have been made welcome.
Mrs Merkel and her husband Joachim Sauer, who do not have chilldren, will be in attendance. German government spokesman
Steffen Seibert said: “Don’t worry, it will be an interesting experience for all those present. You need have no concern about the plans. Adults and chilldren alike will have a lovely time.” Mr Sauer said the gathering “demonstrates how tight our friendship and partnership with Britain is.”
Relaxed
The relaxed atmosphere, similar to that of British prime ministers’ Chequers country retreat in Buckinghamshire, may help to ease the tension when the two leaders discuss Mr Cameron’s plan to hold a referendum on EU membership.
The prime minister is hoping to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s membership before the referendum, which will be held by the end of 2017 if there is a Conservative victory at the 2015 general election.
‘Wafer-thin’
Earlier this week, Mr Cameron said British voters’ support for EU membership was “wafer-thin”.
In joint interviews with five European newspapers, he said the EU “sometimes over-reached itself with directives and interventions and interference”, and called for a “more flexible Europe”.
Mr Cameron said he was “convinced” there will be a need for treaty change in the EU, but is facing resistance from France and Germany.
Although Angela Merkel is concerned by the referendum plan, Michael Meister, deputy parliamentary chairman of her Christian Democrat party, said Germany was “open for arguments” about moving some powers back to member states.
‘Common ideas’
“We want to unify Europe and we have to do it together, and I think there are a lot of common ideas with the British side and the German side on it,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“It’s a good thing that we have an idea of a private competitive economy and that’s much different from other countries in Europe.”
Mr Meister said he recognised the need for compromises. “I think we are open for arguments why it makes sense and follows the principle of subsidiarity to move something back (to member states),” he said.
Mr Cameron and Mrs Merkel will also discuss the forthcoming G8 summit in Northern Ireland, Syria and Iran.
Mrs Merkel stayed at Chequers in 2010 and today’s meeting is designed as a return visit.