France dismisses parallel talks with Britain during Brexit

France's foreign minister said on Wednesday talks between the European Union and Britain over their future relationship can only take place once Brexit negotiations have concluded in two years time.

"After the negotiation of the separation, there will be another negotiation and that will be the organisation of the future relations between the 27 in the European Union and Great Britain," Jean-Marc Ayrault told reporters.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said in a latter to the EU earlier on Wednesday that she wanted to produce a divorce deal as well as one on a future relationship by March 2019.

Ayrault said the talks for Britain's exit would be difficult and that May could not cherry pick what it wanted from the deal.

"We have to hold these talks in a way that is constructive and respectful of Great Britain. It is not at all our state of mind to want to punish a population because it voted how it felt," he said.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)