Britain Calls Germany Closest Ally in EU Reform

Germany is Britain's closest partner in reforming the European Union, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Sunday ahead of talks this week between the leaders of the two countries.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday is to visit British Prime Minister David Cameron, who will be pushing his agenda for changing the way the 28-member bloc works, and repatriating powers.

"Germany is our most important partner on seeking reform in the European Union because it's Germany that has such a strong position in the eurozone, that has managed to maintain a dynamic economy itself," Hague told BBC television.

Merkel understands that "the 21st century is the age of flexibility, accountability and competitiveness, and the European Union cannot be immune from those things.

"In every nation state we are having to adapt to those pressures and it's very important the EU does so as well."

Merkel will be given the honor of addressing both houses of the British parliament.

She will then see Cameron at his Downing Street office and later be received by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

Hague said renegotiating Britain's relationship with Brussels would not take place before the May 2015 general election.

Cameron has pledged that if he is prime minister after the vote, he will then attempt to renegotiate Britain's ties with the EU and stage an in-or-out referendum before the end of 2017 based on the outcome.

Hague said: "We support the principle of the free movement of workers... but we don't support people moving from one country to another because of the incentives of different benefit systems."

The former Conservative Party leader said there was a strong overlap of ideas with other northern European countries.

The Dutch government has issued a report talking about "Europe where necessary, but national wherever possible", Hague said.

"That is a good guiding thought and it's one on which we can work with the Dutch."