Exclusive: Former EU chief Delors says British membership positive for EU

[June 16, 2016]    BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Former European Commission President Jacques Delors, the father of modern European integration, said in a statement to Reuters on Thursday that British membership is positive both for the United Kingdom and for the European Union.

Former European Commission President Jacques Delors attends a meeting with EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (not pictured) at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels February 7, 2012. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

Delors, 89, who clashed frequently with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during his decade at the head of the EU executive from 1985 to 1994, said he would respect the British voters' decision in next week's referendum on whether to remain in the EU.

"I consider the UK's participation in the European Union to be a positive element both for the British and for the Union," the French elder statesman said.

His statement was emailed through the Jacques Delors Institute to dispel what it called inaccurate rumors that he favored a Brexit to enable the remaining EU members to move ahead with deeper integration.

(Writing by Paul Taylor)

[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.