Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz addresses the media after a cabinet meeting in Vienna, Austria, August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader

BERLIN (Reuters) - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency, said on Thursday he wanted to help the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator avoid a hard Brexit.

With little more than seven months to go until it leaves the EU on March 29, Britain has yet to reach an agreement with the bloc on the terms of its departure. Prime Minister Theresa May’s plan for a “business-friendly” deal has failed to impress negotiators in Brussels and has been heavily criticized at home.

Austria will host a meeting of EU leaders in Salzburg on Sept. 20 with time pressing to clinch a deal to prevent Britain crashing out of the bloc that its people voted to leave in 2016.

“It was probably the worst decision of recent years - Britain’s decision to leave the European Union,” Kurz told a rally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives in Erfurt to applause. “But the decision was taken and now it is about ensuring that contact remains good.”

“Britain is militarily, politically and economically tremendously significant on our continent,” he said, adding that securing a good relationship was important to prevent further Brexit fallout for both Britain and the EU.

“Our big goal is to make a contribution during the presidency so that our chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, can continue to successfully lead the member states together, so that we can bring about a deal with Britain to avoid a hard Brexit and to secure an orderly future together,” Kurz said.

Britain on Thursday told companies trading with the European Union they would face a tangle of red tape, possible border delays and more costly credit card payments if the government fails to negotiate an exit deal before Britain leaves the bloc.

After more than 40 years in the EU, Britain is having to set out its plans for every aspect of life.

Barnier said on Tuesday a deal with Britain was needed “not much later” than in early November and that the bloc was not working toward a “no-deal” Brexit, though it had to prepare for it. </s> The Austrian Chancellor offered to step in to help the European Commission's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as he still has not secured a deal with just seven months to go until Britain leaves. Talks have hit a deadlock over several key issues including the future of the Irish border and post-Brexit trade ties. But Mr Kurz, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said it was crucial for the UK and EU to reach an agreement and "secure an orderly future together". At a rally for German Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, Mr Kurz said: "Britain's decision to leave the EU was probably the worst decision of recent years.

"But the decision was taken and now it is about ensuring that contact remains good. "Britain is militarily, politically and economically tremendously significant on our continent. "Our big goal is to make a contribution during the presidency so that our chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, can continue to successfully lead the member states together, so that we can bring about a deal with Britain to avoid a hard Brexit and to secure an orderly future together." The right winger added that securing a good relationship was important to prevent further Brexit fallout for both Britain and the EU.

Mr Kurz comments, in Erfurt, Germany, came after a meeting with Theresa May in Salzburg last month where he suggested Brexit was "negative". Speaking at a press conference with the Prime Minister, he said: "The Brexit decision is a decision we see very negatively. "But, of course, it has been taken by the British people so now we have to find a way to deal with it. "From our point of view it is important to avoid a hard Brexit."

As the documents were released, Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said the Government "stands ready" for such an outcome. Mr Rabb vowed to help "manage and mitigate the risks" of a no-deal and "seize the opportunities that lie ahead". And he said "lives and livelihoods" in both the EU and UK should be "put ahead of any narrow political interest". </s> Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz ousted by the Austrian Parliament. He was ousted as he lost the no confidence in a special Parliamentary session.

His previous coalition ally, the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the opposition Social Democrats (SPÖ) backed the no-confidence motions. The FPÖ had become embroiled in a political scandal caused by a secret video, which ended the coalition.

Opposition parties brought forward the two no-confidence votes – one against Kurz and the other against his government. Austria’s President Alexander Van der Bellen named Vice Chancellor Hartwig Löger as the interim leader. Löger will serve until a new transitional government can be appointed ahead of elections expected in September.

Kurz, head of the conservative Austrian People’s Party, is the first Chancellor in post-war Austrian history to lose a confidence vote. He was the world’s youngest state leader when elected in 2017, at 31.

Kurz’s surprisingly strong showing in recent European Union elections – with a projected 35% of the vote – was not enough to save him. </s> Austria's conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has dissolved his coalition with the far-right Freedom Party after the resignation of vice-chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache amid a corruption scandal.

“Enough is enough,” Kurz told the media, listing a string of other minor scandals involving the Freedom Party, adding that he would recommend to President Alexander Van der Bellen that snap elections be held as quickly as possible.

Vice-chancellor Strache, a key figure of the European far-right, announced his resignation on Saturday following revelations that he had promised public contracts in return for help from a fake Russian backer during his campaign in the 2017 parliamentary elections.

Strache denounced what he called an illegal "targeted political attack", but said he would quit in order to avoid further damage to the government.

Germany's Der Spiegel and Sueddeutsche Zeitung released hidden video footage of a sting operation allegedly filmed at a luxury villa on the Spanish island of Ibiza, months before Austria's 2017's elections.

Strache and his Freedom Party's group leader in parliament, Johann Gudenus, are seen in duscussions with a woman purporting to be the niece of a Russian oligarch, who says she wants control of Austria's largest-circulation tabloid, the Krone Zeitung.

Strache is seen suggesting that new owners could make staff changes at the Krone and use the paper to help his Freedom Party in its election campaign. </s> VIENNA: Austria´s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Monday lost a no-confidence vote in parliament, removing him and his cabinet from office over a corruption scandal that brought has down his coalition government.

"An application (by the opposition Social Democrats) has been accepted, so he has lost the confidence" of parliament, deputy speaker Doris Bures said. The move comes just after Kurz celebrated a big win for his conservative People´s Party (OeVP) in Sunday´s European elections, which is projected to gain 34.9 percent of the vote and two extra European parliament seats.

It comes in the wake of the so-called "Ibiza-gate" scandal, which saw FPOe leader and Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache resign from both posts after he was caught appearing to offer public contracts in return for campaign help from a fake Russian backer.

That led to Kurz ending his coalition with the FPOe and calling early elections for the autumn, but the opposition say the 32-year-old leader must also take responsibility for the scandal. The no-confidence vote against Kurz and his government took place in a special sitting of parliament with more than half of MPs withdrawing their support, making him the shortest-serving chancellor, as well as the first in post-war Austrian history to be removed in this fashion.

Social Democrats (SPOe) leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner accused Kurz of an unprecedented "uncurbed and shameless power grab" when bringing forward the motion against him. Kurz´s former partner, the FPOe, also supported the motion. It is now up to President Alexander Van der Bellen to appoint experts to lead the government and all the ministries until the elections.

Speaking in parliament before the vote, Kurz accused the opposition of causing instability with the motion against his government, but said if the vote succeeded, he would ensure an orderly transition to whoever is appointed next.

The far-right, meanwhile, seemed to have suffered a setback in Sunday´s vote over "Ibiza-gate", falling from 19.7 percent to 17.2 percent and losing one of their four MEPs. The scandal erupted following the publication on May 17 of hidden-camera recordings filmed in a luxury villa on the holiday island of Ibiza a few months before Austria´s last parliamentary elections in 2017.

Amid a welter of embarrassing comments, Strache appeared to allude to a scheme channelling political donations through FPOe-linked foundations in order to avoid legal scrutiny. After Strache´s resignation, Kurz also sacked FPOe interior minister Herbert Kickl, arguing he could not oversee any possible investigation into his own party´s wrongdoing. FPOe ministers responded by walking out of the government en masse, leading to Kurz appointing experts to take their place in an interim government.

When he first became chancellor in late 2017, Kurz was widely hailed on the European right as someone who could successfully tap into surging anti-immigration sentiment while projecting a polished demeanour. Since the crisis broke, he has projected himself as a paragon of stability in a turbulent political climate, and analysts say this will be a key message for him to use.

But even before the current crisis, Kurz found himself constantly having to bat away criticism for alleged extremist sympathies among FPOe members.

The opposition has placed the blame for the current debacle squarely at the feet of Kurz himself for having invited the far-right into government in the first place, saying he had ample warning of the unsuitability of the FPOe for government. Kurz has trod a fine line in his statements since the crisis broke, admitting he found the FPOe´s antics "hard to swallow" but insisting he had no other choice. "There was no other party which was ready to form a coalition with us," he told journalists on Thursday, when asked whether he regretted the coalition. </s> Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for snap elections after his junior coalition partner stumbled over a video showing its leader promising government contracts in return for campaign funding.

“Enough is enough,” Kurz said on Saturday evening in Vienna, adding he wants elections as “soon as possible.”

Heinz-Christian Strache stepped down as vice chancellor and head of the nationalist Freedom Party earlier in the day, calling his actions depicted on the video “dumb” and “embarrassing.”

Strache said he resigned to rescue the coalition with Kurz’s conservative People’s Party, but ultimately this proved to be insufficient. Elections can be held in August at the earliest. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, who’s in charge of appointing and dismissing governments, will speak later tonight.

The result of the ballot could leave Kurz, the European Union’s youngest leader, in an awkward situation: He’s likely to win the ballot, but not by a margin large enough to govern alone. A new coalition with the Freedom Party may not be possible after the video scandal, be it for lack of votes or backing in Kurz’s People’s Party.

At the same time, the chancellor has burnt bridges to the opposition Social Democrats, with whom his party governed in most previous coalitions since the Second World War. Kurz built his rise to power on breaking with that tradition, so returning to the fold might hurt his credibility.

The People’s Party first attempt to govern with the Freedom Party failed in 2002 after just two years and snap elections ended with victory for the conservatives and defeat for the nationalists. There may be hopes in the party to repeat that stint.

The footage from a 2017 meeting in Ibiza with a woman claiming to be the niece of a Russian oligarch was obtained by German publications Der Spiegel and Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Spiegel didn’t disclose how it obtained the video and said it doesn’t know the motives of the people who made it.

Strache, speaking after handing in his resignation to Kurz in Vienna on Saturday, confirmed the Ibiza meeting while saying he did nothing illegal. He said he pointed out to the woman in the video that Austrian laws had to be obeyed, and that he never received donations from her or gave her any business.

The video was shot illegally and “this was a targeted attempt of political assassination, this was hired work,” Strache told reporters. He already appeared to be in campaign mode in his resignation press conference, praising the government’s achievements. “I want to provide no pretense whatsoever by my misbehavior to bring down this government.”

Austria’s Audit Court said Saturday it would question the Freedom Party’s finances related to the video. Christian Pilnacek of the Justice Ministry told Kurier newspaper that prosecutors will be examining the video. The Freedom Party denies any wrongdoing.

With assistance from Jonathan Tirone and Patrick Donahue. </s> Austria today staged a dramatic border protection exercise as it prepares to assume the EU presidency and push for hardline immigration measures as the bloc is gripped by increasingly bitter divisions over the migrant crisis.

Austrian leader Sebastian Kurz will assume the EU's rotating presidency on July 1 and has vowed to make migrants claim asylum before entering the bloc.

That policy echoes the position of Italy, which has started turning away migrant vessels and proposed setting up processing centres in Libya and other countries of origin.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is also locked in a struggle with her hardline government coalition partners that threatens to topple her government, and a summit between EU leaders on Sunday made little progress on tackling the crisis.

Kurz fears if Germany unilaterally closes its southern border then other EU nations will follow suit.

Today heavily armed policemen - wearing helmets and body armour while carrying riot shields - were on display to show Germany that Austria is willing to shut its own borders if Merkel's interior minister follows through with his threat to close the Bavarian frontier.

Thousands of migrants poured through Europe's open borders daily three years ago, triggering a humanitarian and political crisis that has left deep divisions on the continent.

But relatively few migrants pass through the Austria-Slovenia frontier near the town of Spielfeld today, where the exercises were held.

Speaking to German daily Bild, Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache said his country was testing out its new 'Puma police border protection unit' for the first time.

He added: 'We want to prepare ourselves for all developments and send a clear signal that there will no longer be a loss of control and free passage like in 2015.

'The reasons for this are the debate about intra-European border closures, triggered by Germany, as well as current developments on the refugee routes in the Balkans.'

It comes after more than half of the EU's leaders met in Brussels on Sunday to grapple with a resurgent political crisis over migration that threatens to tear the bloc apart.

With police dogs and armoured vehicles, the Austrians today stood in front of a fence as actors - police cadets - posed as migrants during the drill.

Chancellor Kurz said at the weekend that he would 'be ready and do everything necessary to protect our borders' if Horst Seehofer, Germany's interior minister, goes ahead with plans to protect his country's southern frontier.

He added: 'That would mean securing the border on the Brenner [Pass] and other locations... [though] I want to help ensure it doesn't get that far.'

That dispute within the German coalition has prompted worries within the EU that there will be a domino effect of member nations tightening their borders.

Seehofer is allied with Austria's Kurz, whose country on July 1 takes over from Bulgaria the six-month rotating EU presidency.

Today, meanwhile, Italy's deputy prime minister said its coastguard and navy should ignore SOS calls from migrant boats in the Mediterranean.

Matteo Salvini has already warned foreign charities to stop picking up migrants off Libya, accusing them of 'causing trouble' and saying Italian ports 'are and will be closed to those who aid human traffickers.'

Salvini, also the country's interior minister, made the comments after a surprise visit to Libya, a key departure point for thousands of migrants making the dangerous crossing to Europe.

On his return to Rome, he was asked for his views on reported plans for Italian maritime authorities to ignore SOS calls made by migrant vessels in the Mediterranean.

He said of the proposals - reportedly being considered by the minister of transport - that 'if that was the decision, it would have my full support' adding that Libya's coastguard authorities was capable of marshalling its own coastline.

It comes as hundreds of migrants remained stranded at sea in the Mediterranean, deepening a crisis shaking Europe.

In Tripoli, Salvini called for the establishment of processing centres in various unnamed African countries to deal with potential migrants in a move 'to help Libya as well as Italy block migration'.

Libya is a key departure point for thousands of migrants hoping to reach Europe, although hundreds drown each year attempting the crossing.

Salvini's unexpected trip came a day after emergency talks between 16 European Union leaders in a bid to break a longstanding deadlock over who should take in the migrants, the bulk of whom have been landing in Italy and Greece.

The crisis came to a head earlier this month when Italy's new populist government turned away a rescue boat carrying 630 people, which was also rejected by Malta, forcing the vessel to remain at sea until Spain offered them safe haven.

But the relief was short-lived, with Italy and Malta refusing a second vessel carrying 234 migrants who were rescued on Thursday.

The move left Germany-operated rescue boat Lifeline stranded in international waters near Malta.

'Let's see if Europe remembers that it actually exists because there is still a boat loaded with migrants in Maltese waters waiting for a port to welcome it and we can tell you again, it won't be in an Italian port,' Salvini said.

Austria has suggested that Albania could be used to process illegal migrants outside of the EU before sending them 'back to their countries of origin as soon as possible'.

Chancellor Kurz confirmed Austria is working with Denmark and other countries to work out a solution to the migration crisis involving non-EU members.

Under the so-called Dublin rules, asylum-seekers must be processed in the country where they first arrive, often Mediterranean countries like Italy, Greece and Spain.

EU leaders last December had set the end of June as a deadline to reform the rules by establishing a permanent mechanism to relocate asylum-seekers throughout the bloc.

With such reform elusive, Merkel is now pushing for bilateral, trilateral and multilateral deals.

Merkel also got Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to attend the mini-summit by telling him pre-written conclusions had been withdrawn, Italian officials said.

Draft conclusions included calls to speed up returns to countries tasked with processing them, such as Italy.

Rome on Saturday accused French President Emmanuel Macron of 'arrogance' for turning back migrants at the French-Italian border.

Ahmed Maiteeq, deputy head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), said Libya would host a migration summit in September.

Earlier, he told Italy's La Repubblica daily that Europe 'must think of structural measures to take in African countries to stop migrants.'

On his return to Rome, Salvini said a technical team would be set up this week with representatives from Italy, Niger, Chad and Mali.

He dismissed calls by France and Spain for asylum-seekers to be kept in closed centres until their claims are processed - a proposal Rome fears would turn Italy into 'a refugee camp for all of Europe'.

'Welcome hotspots in Italy? It would be a problem for us and for Libya itself because it would not stop these deadly waves (of migration). We have proposed reception centres south of Libya to avoid Tripoli becoming a funnel, like Italy,' he wrote on Twitter.

'The only way to really counteract the traffickers' criminal interests and avoid these voyages of death is to stop these boats putting out to sea,' he added in a separate statement.

The crisis has seen France's Emmanuel Macron accusing Rome of 'irresponsibility' for turning away the boats, and Italy denouncing Paris for its hypocrisy in pushing migrants back across their shared border.

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing an ultimatum from her hardline interior minister who has given her until the end of June to find a European deal to curb new arrivals.

Sunday's emergency EU leaders meeting had aimed to clear the air between member states ahead of a scheduled full summit on Thursday and Friday.

Both Macron and Merkel have vowed to forge ahead with like-minded leaders on ways to reduce migrant flows, but the EU's top migration official warned that Europe would solve the crisis only by working together.

'We must find a way to adopt a shared policy and a shared strategy to face this situation, otherwise the European project is in danger,' Dimitris Avramopoulos told AFP on a visit to Tehran. </s> Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked Austria’s chancellor to organize a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Vienna this summer and the White House is pondering the offer, a senior European official said.

Mr. Putin made the request during an official visit in the Austrian capital on Tuesday, the official said. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz accepted the request and pledged to approach Mr. Trump, the person said. </s> VIENNA (AP) — Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is calling for a new election after his vice chancellor resigned due to scandal.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency, expresses interest in avoiding a hard Brexit.