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September 27, 2017

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Tusk now ‘cautiously optimistic’ over Brexit

Source: AP | 00:01 UTC+8 September 27, 2017 | Print Edition

EUROPEAN Council President Donald Tusk said yesterday that Brexit talks hadn’t yet made sufficient progress to begin negotiating a new relationship between Britain and the European Union. But he’s now “cautiously optimistic” about the way ahead.

After meeting UK Prime Minister Theresa May, Tusk said he believed Britain had finally abandoned an unrealistic “having a cake and eating it” approach to Brexit.

Britain triggered a two-year countdown to Brexit in March, but since then talks have made little progress. Negotiators are meeting in Brussels this week for a fourth round of discussions, as EU officials warn Britain that time is running out.

Britain wants to start discussing future trade and security relations with the bloc, but EU officials say that can’t happen until there has been “sufficient progress” on the terms of the divorce.

In a bid to break the logjam, May made a conciliatory speech in Florence, Italy, last week, saying the UK would be willing to pay into EU coffers during a two-year transition phase after it formally leaves in March 2019.

Tusk said yesterday he felt Britain had finally abandoned the belief it could have its cake and eat it — leave the EU while keeping all the advantages of membership.

“I feel cautiously optimistic about the constructive and more realistic tone in the prime minister’s speech in Florence and of our discussion today,” Tusk said after meeting May at No. 10 Downing St. “There is no sufficient progress yet, but we will work on it.”

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