UK, French prime ministers meet to ease Brexit concerns

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May greets French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday Feb. 17, 2017. Cazeneuve is in London for bilateral discussions.(AP Photo/Tim Ireland) (The Associated Press)

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British Prime Minister Theresa May greets French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday Feb. 17, 2017. Cazeneuve is in London for bilateral discussions.(AP Photo/Tim Ireland) (The Associated Press)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May talks with French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday Feb. 17, 2017. Cazeneuve is in London for bilateral discussions.(AP Photo/Tim Ireland, Pool) (The Associated Press)

LONDON – British Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking to reassure France that the U.K. won't try to "cherry-pick" benefits of European Union membership when it leaves the bloc.

May met with French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve at 10 Downing St. on Friday at what she called "an interesting time" for Britain.

May plans to trigger the formal two-year EU exit process by March 31.

EU leaders including French President Francois Hollande insist Britain shouldn't be able to pick and choose among membership benefits, keeping those it likes, when it leaves the bloc.

In an article for French newspaper Le Figaro, May said Britain "understands that EU leaders want to continue with the process of integration. We do not, to borrow the phrase, seek to cherry-pick which bits of membership we desire."