BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany is prepared to agree to Britain's request for a postponement of Brexit if the parliament in London backs British Prime Minister Theresa May's exit deal, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday.
The European Union requires unanimous agreement from all member states to grant an extension to the so-called "Article 50" process that currently envisages a British exit from the European Union on March 29.
"I believe we can say, as Germany, we can meet that request," Merkel told German legislators ahead of Thursday's European Council meeting. "We can discuss this wish next week if we have a positive vote in the British parliament on the exit agreement."
But Merkel warned that an extension of the Brexit deadline to June 30, as requested by May, would be complicated because of the question of Britain's possible participation in the European Parliament elections.
(Reporting by Joseph Nasr; Writing by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Michelle Martin)
