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A8 world news
Wednesday 30 august 2017

Juncker: No talks on new ties before Brexit issues settled

solved.” are settled first.
Britain trigged the two-year Juncker said that “we can’t
negotiating window on mix things up” and insisted
March 29, then surprisingly “first resolve the past be-
called a snap election in fore imagining the future.”
which Prime Minister There- The EU wants to discuss the
sa May lost her overall ma- rights of citizens residing in
jority. Talks effectively only each other’s areas after
started in June. the breakup, the situation
The third round of high-level on the Irish border and the
talks is ongoing this week outstanding bill Britain still
and Juncker reinforced has to pay before things
the comments of his chief can move on. There has
negotiator Michel Barnier been no decisive break-
on Monday that the May’s through on any of them so
government is too slow far.
out of the blocks and that The 27 other EU nations
key separation issues need have said they will have to
to be settled before both judge whether there is “suf-
sides can assess a future ficient progress” on those
trade and political relation- separation issues before
ship. talks on a future trade and
Britain is keen to have both political relationship can
European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, right, and British Secretary of State in lockstep. start.
David Davis deliver a statement at EU headquarters in Brussels. For the second day in a row, While British negotiator Da- Both sides are facing a
the European Union chastised Britain for being slow and unfocused in its approach to the Brexit vid Davis called for “flex- March 2019 deadline to
divorce proceedings. ibility and imagination” to seal a deal to disentangle
(AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) move on all issues, Juncker Britain from the EU and to
By RAF CASERT to the Brexit divorce pro- said Tuesday that after as- said in some of his clearest broker the terms of their
Associated Press ceedings, which are enter- sessing the latest batch of comments so far, that “it post-split relationship.
BRUSSELS (AP) — For the ing their sixth month with position papers from Lon- must be made ultra-clear The bulk of the negotiations
second day in a row, the precious little to show for don, “None of them give that we will not undertake need to wrap up in the fall
European Union chastised them. me any real satisfaction. any negotiation on the of next year to allow for
Britain for being slow and European Commission Pres- So there are many ques- continuation of events” be- formal ratification by both
unfocused in its approach ident Jean-Claude Juncker tions that remain to be re- fore the key divorce issues sides.q

EU, Germany criticize Poland in worsening rule of law spat

By RAF CASERT touches on “the basis of lation the government ag- Szydlo insisted that Poland other notch on Monday,
GEIR MOULSON cooperation inside the Eu- gressively pushed through “respects the rule of law when Warsaw sent the EU
Associated Press ropean Union.” to put the court system un- and is a democratic na- a letter stating that its criti-
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- And the EU’s executive der the ruling party’s con- tion,” as well as a pro-EU cism of the judicial chang-
pean Union and Germany branch dismissed Poland’s trol. nation “guided by solidar- es “go beyond the Com-
criticized the Polish govern- position that it should stay The Commission, echoing ity” and ready to defend mission’s authority.”
ment Tuesday for threat- out of the country’s legisla- the concerns of Polish gov- the 28-member bloc’s val- Commission spokeswoman
ening the rule of law in tive affairs if it feels demo- ernment critics and some ues. Vanessa Mock fired back
the country, with German cratic standards are threat- other nations, has said the The Law and Justice party on Tuesday. “It is something
Chancellor Angela Merkel ened. moves threaten to reduce has criticized the EU as we would actually quite
saying its disrespect for The EU Commission has the independence of judg- overly bureaucratic and powerfully refute,” Mock
democratic norms could been taking on Poland for es and increase govern- meddlesome in national said.
undermine cooperation in perceived flaws in the rule ment interference. affairs, reserving special Seeking to deflect the dis-
the 28-nation bloc. of law after the Law and Poland’s Prime Minister scorn for EU Council Presi- pute with EU leaders, Po-
Merkel said the worsening Justice party of Jaroslaw Beata Szydlo described dent Donald Tusk, a long- land’s Szydlo said Europe
dispute between Warsaw Kaczynski came to power the criticism as “unjust” in time political opponent of should not be divided in
and Brussels over changes two years ago. A primary a video statement posted Kaczynski. face of ensuring the conti-
in Poland’s judicial system point of contention is legis- Tuesday on Twitter. The tension edged up an- nent’s security.q