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May meets with Merkel on Britain’s exit

LONDON — Underscoring her arrival in the political limelight, Britain’s new prime minister, Theresa May, on Wednesday faced down the opposition leader in Parliament before flying to Berlin to discuss British withdrawal from the European Union with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In Berlin, the early signs were positive, though the visit was less about detailed negotiation than it was establishing positions and developing a working rapport with Merkel.

Initially, the two appeared tense, and, as Merkel opened with her remarks, she occasionally glanced at May, who kept her gaze ahead, listening intently to the translation.

But, when asked about their first impressions of one another, May broke into a wide smile and responded that, “We have two women here who, if I may say so, want to get on with the job and want to deliver the best possible results for the people of the UK and of Germany.”

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The chancellor, after pausing for a moment to hear the final words of the translation, turned to May with an equally broad smile and said, “Genau,” German for “exactly.” Merkel appeared to soften her impatience over London’s delay in triggering the start of formal negotiations, and signaled a willingness to give May’s new government time to figure out what it wants.

An understanding between the two leaders could provide crucial support, and time, for May and her negotiators as they tackle the complex task of extricating Britain from more than four decades of European integration.

May stressed her determination not to rush into making a formal declaration of Britain’s departure that would start the clock ticking on a two-year negotiating deadline. In London, she had reiterated a pledge to reduce net migration — a key issue in last month’s Brexit referendum — promising to cut it to below 100,000 a year, though appearing to backtrack on a deadline.

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In both capitals, May showed few signs of being a novice, despite having been in the job for just one week. She seemed relatively at ease both in the rather sober and businesslike forum with Merkel and in the rowdy atmosphere of Parliament during the question session.

Before she flew to Berlin, her office issued a statement saying that Britain was relinquishing its turn to hold the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, which was scheduled for the second half of next year. That move was almost inevitable, given the outcome of the referendum.

On Thursday, May plans to meet in Paris with President François Hollande.

While Merkel was diplomatic Wednesday, German and French politicians insist that Britain cannot keep access to the EU’s single market without accepting the free movement of workers across frontiers — something May is under pressure at home to resist.

In the parliamentary session, May refused to be drawn out on that issue, when asked by a veteran Conservative lawmaker, Edward Leigh, whether she was willing to “reject staying in the single regulated market and offering instead to our friends in Europe a free trade deal very much in their interests.” May said she would take heed of calls to control free movement, but also aim to negotiate the “right deal and the best deal” over trade.