Merkel, May discuss Brexit extension in Berlin

By Ayhan Simsek</p> <p>BERLIN (AA) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday discussed a possible extension to Brexit, amid deadlock in the U.K. parliament.</p> <p>May’s face-to-face meeting with Merkel at the Chancellory in Berlin lasted for one-and-a-half-hour, but the leaders did not give any statement to the media. </p> <p>Following her meeting with Merkel, the British premier headed to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss extending the April 12 Brexit deadline.</p> <p>After suffering a humiliating defeat at the Parliament on her Brexit deal, Theresa May asked the EU last week to delay the U.K.’s departure date to June 30.</p> <p>EU leaders are scheduled to meet in Brussels on Wednesday for a special summit to discuss May’s request.</p> <p>Local media reported earlier that the EU was considering to offer Britain a “flexible” extension until the end of 2019, with an option to leave earlier if the withdrawal agreement is ratified.</p> <p>May’s Brexit deal was rejected three times by the British lawmakers, and last week British MPs also rejected four alternative proposals for the U.K.’s exit from the EU.</p> <p>The U.K. is due to leave the bloc on April 12 — pushed back last month from March 29 — if the EU would not agree on an extension to Brexit.</p> <p>In a 2016 referendum, U.K. voters decided to leave the 28-member bloc after a more than 40-year-long membership.