Hollande, Merkel discuss Brexit

PARIS: French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed in a half-hour phone conversation on Sunday how to handle the aftermath of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, an aide to Hollande said.

Although Berlin and Paris have been sending conflicting signals on Brexit since Thursday’s referendum, the aide said: "They noted their full agreement on how to handle the situation created by the British referendum."

They also discussed the need to act quickly on a set of specific priorities and "they hoped for full clarity to avoid uncertainties," the aide said, giving no further details.

Merkel will host talks in Berlin on Monday with Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

Over the weekend, as Europe began digesting the prospect of an EU without Britain, a cacophony of conflicting signals were being sent out by Europe’s politicians despite a joint paper from the German and French foreign ministers meant to minimize their differences and highlight common ground.