[ad_1]
BRUSSELS – British Prime Minister Theresa May held last-chance meetings in Brussels on Thursday to press for concessions as part of her efforts to separate Britain from the European Union. But bloc leaders seemed to have little interest in proposing significant changes to an agreement that turned out to be politically dead in London.
The meetings took place one day after European Council President Donald Tusk inflamed anger in Britain by declaring that there was "a special place in hell" for British leaders who pleaded for favor of divorce, known as Brexit, without having the intention to do so. .
On Thursday, the month of May seemed to offer little in terms of specific concessions as European Union leaders remained firmly committed to their demand for an absolute guarantee that the Irish-Northern Ireland border would remain intact. open, a stumbling block in the negotiations.
In a joint statement with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, May described his talks as "robust but constructive" – a diplomatic jargon for stating that they had made little progress. Juncker, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the bloc would be happy to make minor changes to the non-binding promises it offered to Britain, but that He would not budge on the fundamental issues.
"Both parties have made important concessions to reach an agreement," said Juncker in his statement.
[Parliament says Britain shouldn’t leave E.U. without a deal, sends Theresa May back to Brussels]
British Prime Minister Theresa May arrives in Brussels for talks on Brexit. (Aris Oikonomou / AFP / Getty Images)
Both parties agreed to resume discussions on their aspirations for their post-divorce relationship – a relatively minor step that diplomats have identified as significant change, however, because of low expectations for discussions.
Tusk's remarks a day earlier contained some chill, but he expressed in a largely frustrated way throughout the European Union that British lawmakers do not seem to be able to agree on a single plan that respects their own red lines .
After the talks, May told reporters that Tusk's language "sowed consternation in the UK. What I have told him is that we both should work so that we can establish a closer relationship between the UK and the EU, and that's what he should focus on. "
EU. Leaders have repeatedly asked May to come up with a concrete plan that would allow Britain to leave the bloc without imposing a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, which would risk Ignite the latent conflict there.
The plan that EU and UK negotiators have dreamed together to keep the border open – an insurance policy known as the "backstop" that could leave Britain trapped half-way outside the border. European Union – has been toxic to the British Parliament.
May and Brexiteers within his party have asked for a way to avoid getting stuck permanently midway. But US policymakers say they can not accept anything that could jeopardize the Irish border.
Without an agreement in place or an extension of negotiations, Britain should leave the European Union without a safety net on 29 March. An uncontrolled departure could trigger Economic and social chaos on both sides of the Channel, and worried US officials are stepping up their preparations to cope with the fallout.
One element unlikely to alter the long-term dynamics of the talks was a letter from Wednesday, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the British Labor Party, who offered his support to the divorce agreement if May can guarantee a close relationship and long-term the European Union.
Corbyn wants Britain to remain in a customs union, which probably means that this union will remain closely aligned with EU rules and regulations and may have difficulty in concluding independent free-trade agreements, as demanded by many supporters of the United States. Brexit. Staying in a customs union would allow an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Corbyn's proposal would probably be largely acceptable to US leaders. But if May gets his agreement on Brexit with the help of the Labor Party but not his own conservative backbenchers, it would divide his beloved conservative party.
"We think that a close economic relationship in this sense would make the need for security arrangements much less likely," wrote Corbyn in his letter.
A legislator who met in May Thursday welcomed the proposal.
"I welcome @jeremycorbyn's letter for the first time allowing a multi-stakeholder approach," wrote the European Parliament coordinator for Brexit, Guy Verhofstadt, on Twitter. "Since the hell of today, there is finally a hope of heavenly solution, even if it is not heaven."
Booth brought back from London. Quentin Ariès contributed to this report.
Read more
Donald Tusk warns that there is a "special place in hell" for Brexit fans
In Britain, diabetics worry about the lack of an agreement, Brexit could put their lives in danger
Great Britain works as if a Brexit deadline was to be taken. This is not it.
Today's coverage of Swiss Post correspondents around the world
Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay informed about foreign news
[ad_2]
Source link
