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A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 4 OctOber 2017

EU: Brexit talks still stuck on question of UK exit bill

By RAF CASERT ing what he called “lurid
LORNE COOK accounts” in the media
Associated Press of crisis and breakdown.
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- But he also said Britain had
pean Union insisted Tues- “contingency arrange-
day that Brexit negotiations ments” in case the negoti-
with Britain will not move ations broke down without
on to the question of fu- a deal.
ture relations until enough Many European lawmak-
progress has been made ers were dismissive of
on divorce issues, such as May’s Conservative gov-
how much Britain’s exit bill ernment, which is widely
should be. seen as insecure and bum-
Britain desperately wants bling. The head of the big-
talks to move on to future gest party group in the Eu-
trade and security ar- ropean Parliament called
rangements but EU Com- for the sacking of British
mission President Jean- Foreign Secretary Boris
Claude Juncker said that Johnson for stoking confu-
more needs to be done on sion over the Brexit talks.
the withdrawal issues first. The European People’s
Juncker told the European Party chairman, Manfred
Parliament that “we have In this Wednesday, April 5, 2017 file photo, European Union chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, Weber, appealed to May:
not made the sufficient right, speaks with President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker during a session at “Please sack Johnson, be-
progress needed” and the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. The European Union insisted Tuesday, Oct. 3, cause we need a clear an-
EU legislators backed him, 2017, that Brexit negotiations with Britain will not move onto future relations until enough progress swer who is responsible for
approving a resolution un- on such things as London’s exit payment has been made. the British position.”Weber
derscoring the same point (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias) turned Henry Kissinger’s
with a vote of 557 to 92 to pay up for everything it that amount.“Serious rifts Tuesday’s moves further famous observation about
with 29 abstentions. It fur- had agreed to while it was remain, especially on the dampened hopes that the the many leaders in the EU
ther underscored the unity a member.Juncker said financial settlement,” Bar- EU leaders might give the onto Britain.“Who shall I call
of the 27 EU nations as they “the taxpayers in the EU 27 nier said. “We will not pay green light to an expansion in London? Who speaks for
face off with Britain in the should not pay for the Brit- at 27 what has been de- in the talks at a summit on the government? Theresa
talks. ish decision” to leave, while cided at 28, it is simple as Oct 19-20. May, Boris Johnson, or even
The EU wants London to the bloc’s chief negotiator, that.”The parliamentary British Prime Minister The- David Davis?” he asked.
commit to guaranteeing Michel Barnier, said “seri- resolution called for post- resa May downplayed the Others are speculating that
the rights of EU citizens al- ous differences remain” on poning any move to widen EU vote, saying it was “not Britain might actually be
ready in Britain and make how many bills the U.K. still the talks with Britain unless unexpected” and adding stalling to make sure that
that sure border posts do has to settle. “a major breakthrough” that she believed EU lead- the member states that
not reappear between Estimates vary widely on takes place during the fifth ers were beginning to con- trade heavily with the U.K.
Northern Ireland — which the amount Britain will be round of negotiations in sider Britain’s ideas. would buckle and con-
is part of the U.K. — and expected to pay, from Brussels next week. U.K. Brexit Secretary David cede at the last moment,
Ireland, which is part of 20 billion euros ($27 bil- Observers said decisive Davis said talks were mak- sowing discord among the
the EU. It also wants Britain lion) to over three times progress was highly unlikely. ing good progress, dismiss- 27 remaining EU nations. q
Boris Johnson vows loyalty to May as divided UK Tories meet

By JILL LAWLESS Johnson told delegates Johnson has spent weeks Brexit.” He wants the U.K. though it were a plague of
Associated Press to the Conservative an- giving the opposite impres- to adopt a low-tax, low- boils.”
MANCHESTER, England (AP) nual conference that “the sion. He has been accused regulation economy out- “It is time to be bold, and
— Foreign Secretary Bo- whole country owes (May) of undermining the prime side the EU’s single market, to seize the opportunities,
ris Johnson assured British a debt for her steadfast- minister — and advancing says Britain must not pay and there is no country
Conservatives Tuesday that ness in taking Britain for- his leadership ambitions — to get tariff-free trade with better placed than Britain,”
he supports “every syllable” ward, as she will, to a great by laying out his own dis- the EU and insists that any he said.Johnson’s Brexit
of Prime Minister Theresa Brexit deal.” tinct roadmap for Britain’s post-Brexit transition period stance — tougher than
May’s plans for Brexit. May laid out her plans for exit from the European should not last “a second May’s stated position — has
But unity is in short supply Britain’s exit from the Euro- Union. more” than two years. added to uncertainty for
in the U.K.’s fractious, anx- pean Union in a speech last With EU divorce negotia- Johnson told conference British businesses, who want
ious governing party — and month in Florence — “on tions proceeding at a snail’s delegates that it was time to know whether they will
Johnson’s vow of loyalty whose every syllable I can pace, Johnson has posi- to stop being negative keep easy access to the EU
did not quell suspicions he tell you, the whole Cabinet tioned himself as a champi- about Brexit and “treating market and its population
covets the leadership. is united,” Johnson said. on of a clean-break “hard the referendum result as of nearly half a billion.q