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UK says still ‘big issues’ to resolve in Brexit talks
LONDON, Oct 8, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Britain said Monday there were still “big
issues” to resolve in Brexit negotiations with the EU, seeking to dampen
growing talk of a breakthrough ahead of a crucial summit next week.
“We have always said that we are working hard for a deal this autumn and
that continues at pace,” Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman told
reporters.
“There remain big issues to work through and as the prime minister has
said, this will require movement on the EU side.”
He said officials from both sides are holding technical discussions in
Brussels this week, but Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab is not currently
planning to attend.
“There is a difference between people talking optimistically about a deal,
and a deal including both the withdrawal agreement and the future framework
actually being agreed,” he said.
Irish deputy prime minister Simon Coveney said on Sunday that the text of
the withdrawal agreement was “90 percent agreed”, although the Irish border
issue remains a sticking point.
“What is needed now is the two negotiating teams need to lock themselves
in a room for the next 10 days or so,” Coveney told Sky News.
The final Brexit deal will include the withdrawal agreement and a
political declaration on the future economic and security partnership.
The withdrawal agreement addresses the rights of EU expatriates and
Britain’s financial settlement, which are mostly agreed, and Ireland.
London and Brussels have agreed to keep the border between British
Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland open after Brexit, but disagree on how
this can be achieved.
Britain believes frontier checks can be avoided through a new trade deal
with Brussels, but accepts the need for a fall-back plan to address the issue
until that deal can be agreed.
London has rejected the EU’s proposal but has yet to put forward in full
its own alternative, promising only it will be published “shortly”.
EU leaders have demanded concrete progress towards a deal by the October
18 summit in Brussels.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1842 hrs