Brexit talks oficially kick off as United Kingdom hopes for 'happy resolution'

Author

20 June, 2017

The U.K. and the European Union started talks on Britain's exit from the bloc Monday morning, nearly a year after the U.K. voted to leave, with EU chief negotiator saying he hoped the two sides can start removing the uncertainties created by that decision.

Talks will begin at 0900 GMT with a joint press conference by former French foreign minister and European commissioner Barnier and Davis at around 1630 GMT (12.30am Malaysia).

Speaking in Brussels, Brexit Minister David Davis said London wanted a "new, deep and special partnership" in the interest of Britons and all Europeans, Sky News reported.

May's government said it was "confident it can achieve a bold and ambitious deal that will work in the interest of the whole U.K".

"The protection of the Good Friday agreement and maintenance of the common travel area are the most urgent issues to discuss", Michel Barnier, the European Commission chief Brexit negotiator, said.

While Britain has struggled to agree on and present a coherent list of demands, the 27 European Union nations have had one message all along - in the words of Barnier on Monday: "We must first tackle the uncertainties caused by Brexit".

Those issues are the exit bill; the rights of three million European Union nationals living in Britain and the one million Britons on the continent who now are allowed to live, work and claim welfare benefits; and the status of the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

The Austrian foreign minister Sebastian Kurz added: "One can not prolong indefinitely the state we're in; Brexit must be dealt with".

Mr Barnier said that the objective of the talks was to deliver an "orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU".

Even though May triggered the two-year process on March 29, negotiators will have to get a full agreement much faster than March 2019.

Reuters reported that the two chief Brexit negotiators agreed that talks until October should focus on citizens' rights, a financial settlement and other separation issues, with a separate dialogue on Northern Ireland, a document showed.

Today's talks are expected to be the first of four or five sets of talks to be held over the summer concerning the first phase of the negotiations, namely the terms of Britain's departure from the EU.

A general election wiped out May's parliamentary majority earlier this month and her position has been weakened further in the wake of a deadly fire in a London apartment building.

A spokesman for the Department for Exiting the European said: "We believe that the withdrawal process can not be concluded without the future relationship also being taken into account".

Last year's Brexit vote came as a profound shock to Brussels against a backdrop of rising anti-EU sentiment, with many - including now US President Donald Trump - predicting the bloc's eventual break-up.

Finance minister Philip Hammond confirmed Sunday that Britain would be leaving not just the EU but also the single market and the customs union.


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