UK can't cherry-pick Brexit deal: Germany

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

Germany wants to avoid a hard Brexit, but the U.K. cannot "cherry-pick" the deal, Germany's foreign minister said ahead of a key EU summit on Thursday.

“We must do everything possible to avoid a hard Brexit. But it should be clear: Withdrawal means withdrawal. There will be no cherry-picking,” Heiko Maas said on Twitter.

His remarks came hours before a meeting between EU leaders and British Prime Minister Theresa May in Brussels, where May is expected to seek fresh concessions on the Brexit deal after surviving a no-confidence vote.

Maas ruled out renegotiation of the draft withdrawal agreement concluded in November, calling it a “fair compromise” after long talks between the EU and the U.K.

On Monday, May announced the postponement of this week’s Brexit vote at the House of Commons, acknowledging the deal “would be rejected by a significant margin.”

Her spokesman later said that the vote will take place before Jan. 21.