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[webfact]

May seeks to reassure EU leaders on Brexit deal

By Gabriela Baczynska and Daphne Psaledakis

 

British Prime Minister Theresa May is welcomed by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker ahead of the European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium October 17, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May assured EU leaders in Brussels on Wednesday that she can still reach a Brexit deal, avoiding a showdown over stalled talks as Brussels stepped up planning for a failure of negotiations.

 

May was given a 15-minute slot to speak to the bloc's other 27 leaders before they sat down to dinner without her and discussed preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit under which Britain leaves the European Union without a treaty to cushion the disruption to businesses across the continent.

 

But three days after talks stalled over the Irish border "backstop", thwarting hopes of a deal at the summit, May arrived determined to stress that an accord was still on the cards.

 

"We have shown we can do difficult deals together constructively. I remain confident of a good outcome," she told the leaders, according to a British official. "The last stage will need courage, trust and leadership on both sides."

 

It was far from the "decisive progress" the 27 had wanted and they agreed to call off -- for now at least -- a planned Nov. 17-18 summit that was to have inked an agreement. Instead, May gets some more weeks to resolve the domestic political woes which most EU leaders believe are the real obstacle to a deal.

 

A month after May's last meeting in Austria, when her rejection of EU proposals designed to avoid a revival of border tensions in Northern Ireland provoked angry reactions, her tone was much calmer, said EU officials who were present.

 

"The tone was more relaxed than in Salzburg, undoubtedly. There is a message of goodwill," said Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament. "But I did not perceive anything substantially new in terms of content ... The tone was of someone who wants to reach an agreement."

 

An aide to French President Emmanuel Macron said much of the discussion among the 27 was about May's difficulties in getting any deal through parliament, where some in her own party would rather walk out of the EU without any strings.

 

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said: "I am optimistic that we can reach a deal in the next weeks or months."

 

EU negotiator Michel Barnier, who briefed the leaders, believes a deal must be done by December to give parliaments on both sides of the English Channel time to ratify a treaty.

 

TRANSITION PROPOSAL

Tajani said he raised with May the possibility that the post-Brexit transition period, during which Britain would retain EU rules and so avoid border problems with Ireland, could be extended by a year to 2021. EU negotiators proposed this to ease a demand for special rules for Northern Ireland.

 

Such an extension, keeping Britain under EU governance with no say in it, would be highly unpopular with hardline supporters of Brexit. Tajani said May told him she would consider it but gave no indication of whether she favoured such an extension.

 

May has repeatedly ruled out extending what she calls an implementation period, but at least one of her ministers has indicated he may support such a step. She has instead pressed the EU to move on to talks on the future relationship, and secure a trade deal that could end the need for a backstop.

 

One EU diplomat closely involved in the negotiations said May's intervention had revived spirits after the disappointments of the weekend: "The atmosphere has improved. There is more trust and willingness to move forward together."

 

Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had cautioned that Europe must prepare for all outcomes: "That includes the possibility that Britain leaves the European Union without a deal."

 

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker briefed the leaders on the EU executive's plans for a no-deal scenario.

 

May will rejoin her EU counterparts on Thursday as the focus shifts to a summit with Asian leaders, including China's Premier Li Keqiang and the prime ministers of Japan and Russia.

 

(Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper, Robin Emmott, Philip Blenkinsop, Jan Strupczewski, Peter Maushagen, Andreas Rinke, Francesco Guarascio, Daphne Psaledakis, Foo Yun Chee, Alissa de Carbonnel, Michel Rose, Jean-Baptiste Vey and Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Noah Barkin)

2018-10-18

 

-- © Copyright Reuters

[Grouse]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

 I remain confident of a good outcome

????????????

[geoffbezoz]

Good old Teresa, will taking any amount of shafting from the EU.   And will still keep smiling in parliament.

[Guest]

24 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

Good old Teresa, will taking any amount of shafting from the EU.   And will still keep smiling in parliament.

"Please dear EU, let me in. Let me be one of you. I do not want to go back to the predator island." - Theresa May, probably.

 

[Baerboxer]

Juncker looks pissed again in that photo.

 

He clearly is the right man for the job given the caliber of EU leaders.

[dunroaming]

And all she comes back with is an offer to extend the transition period.  NO way Theresa May!  That would mean another year (although she has now reined that back to a "few months") when we would have to continue to pay, in this case another £9 billion plus while still having to abide by all the EU rules including free movement of people.  Good luck with selling that to the government or parliament.

 

The EU haven't put into place another summit for November because May hasn't come up with any new proposals.  Surely this fiasco cannot go on any longer? 

[brucec64]

And all she comes back with is an offer to extend the transition period.  NO way Theresa May!  That would mean another year (although she has now reined that back to a "few months") when we would have to continue to pay, in this case another £9 billion plus while still having to abide by all the EU rules including free movement of people.  Good luck with selling that to the government or parliament.
 
The EU haven't put into place another summit for November because May hasn't come up with any new proposals.  Surely this fiasco cannot go on any longer? 

What exactly is your solution to the irish border issue? Im interested because EU and UK senior negotiatiors cant figure it out. Maybe you should jump on a plane to Brussels to explain to them how easy it is. Obviously with your level of critisim you have it all figured out. Or do you even understand the issue?

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[Grouse]

1 hour ago, brucec64 said:

What exactly is your solution to the irish border issue? Im interested because EU and UK senior negotiatiors cant figure it out. Maybe you should jump on a plane to Brussels to explain to them how easy it is. Obviously with your level of critisim you have it all figured out. Or do you even understand the issue?

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Just stop Brexit

 

Everyone lives happily ever after

 

(just call a people's referendum - fixed. MPs will pounce on the vote to remain and will never ask the people again. About anything. Ever.

[anterian]

Switzerland has a simple border with the EU, so does Gibraltar and Cyprus, Ireland could have the same if it was not for the bloody minded sectarian issues the Irish have always had.  The EU of course are loving it. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, anterian said:

Switzerland has a simple border with the EU, so does Gibraltar and Cyprus, Ireland could have the same if it was not for the bloody minded sectarian issues the Irish have always had.  The EU of course are loving it. 

Are you aware how 'simple border' Switzerland has with EU? Or how actually not simple border Switzerland has with EU?

 

 

[natway09]

And pray tell Mrs May, why should the EU leaders trust you ??