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German chancellor reiterates hope for Britain to stay in EU

Xinhua, June 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday reiterated her hope for Britain to stay in the EU, warning that the country's access to the European single market will be blocked if British people choose to leave in the referendum next week.

"Anything related to the domestic market and the common wellbeing of Great Britain and other European countries would, of course, not be available any more for the Great Britain." she told a press conference in Berlin.

The chancellor said Britain would have to negotiate as a third party country with the remaining EU member states if it leaves the bloc.

"I cannot imagine that this would be of any advantage."she said.

However, Merkel added that it was up to the British people to determine the country's future relations with the EU.

It was the latest remarks from Europe's biggest economy on the referendum scheduled for June 23 on Britain's membership of the EU.

On Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his French counterpart said they hoped that the British people would make the right decision next week.

"From our points of view, the only right decision is to stay in Europe," he said. Endit