Leaders of France, Germany to meet at weekend, Brexit on the agenda

PARIS - Leaders of France and Germany will meet in Paris on Oct 13 in preparation for the due European Union summit and to discuss ways to secure an orderly Brexit, the French presidency said on Wednesday in a statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron will receive German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Oct 13 at the Elysee Palace where they would exchange, during a working dinner, views about European affairs ahead of the EU summit scheduled for Oct 17-18, according to the Elysee.

Officials in Brussels and London see Brexit talks this week as crucial as they try to hammer out a new accord before European leaders meet next week.

Early this month, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had sent a letter to Brussels which outlined his final deal to break the three-year impasse over Brexit.

Johnson proposed that British-controlled Northern Ireland and European Union (EU) member Ireland should remain in an all-Ireland regulatory trade zone to avoid any need for checks.

Johnson had vowed to take his country out of the European bloc by the end of this month, with or without a deal.