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A30 world news
Diaranson 9 september 2020

As EU talks resume, UK says it could break international law

(AP) — The U.K. indicat- to ensuring an open border period that effectively sees it ly insistent on level playing
ed Tuesday that it was pre- between Northern Ireland, abide by EU rules until the field issues in order to ensure
pared to break an interna- which is part of the U.K., and end of this year. The discus- that British-based businesses
tional agreement as post- EU member Ireland. sions are about agreeing the don't have an unfair advan-
Brexit trade discussions "We fully expect the UK to broad outlines of the trading tage as a result of laxer social,
with the European Union honor the commitments that relationship from the start of environmental or subsidy
resumed on an increasing- it negotiated and signed up 2021. rules in the U.K.
ly acrimonious tone. to," said EU Parliament Pres- David Frost, the British gov- "If foreign companies want
ident David Sassoli. "Any at- ernment's chief negotiator, access to our market, we ex-
With concerns mounting that tempts by the UK to under- said the two sides "can no pect them to be on the same
the talks could be just weeks mine the agreement would longer afford to go over well- footing as our European
from collapse, the U.K. urged have serious consequences," trodden ground" and that the companies," Michel said.
the EU to show "more real- he said after meeting EU EU needs to show "more re- The British government
ism" in the discussions, while chief negotiator Michel Bar- alism" about the U.K.'s status has said the publication
the 27-nation bloc noted that nier. as an independent country. of planned legislation on
it was a "world power" that Johnson's predecessor, The- European Council President Wednesday is intended to tie
would stand its ground and resa May, raised concerns that Charles Michel retorted that up some "loose ends" where
not yield to threats. any attempt to bypass com- the bloc is in no mood to there was a need for "legal
The latest round of discus- mitments could damage the budge on its demands. certainty."
sions kicked off in London in U.K.'s international standing. "We are sending a message, Johnson has said Britain
an air of pessimism because "How can the government not only to our citizens but could walk away from the
of concerns that the British reassure future international also to the rest of the world talks within weeks and insists
government is prepared to partners that the U.K. can be — Europe is a world power that a no-deal exit would be a
violate international law by nal Market Bill are unclear, trusted to abide by the legal and we are ready to defend "good outcome for the U.K."
reneging on commitments Lewis said the planned legis- obligations of the agreements our interests," he said in a He said in a statement that
made before the country's lation as it relates to North- it signs?" she said in the speech Tuesday at the Brus- any agreement must be sealed
departure from the bloc on ern Ireland "does break inter- House of Commons. sels Economic Forum. by an EU summit scheduled
Jan. 31. national law in a very specific The news that the head of The trade discussions have for Oct. 15.
Northern Ireland Secretary and limited way." the British government's le- made very little progress over British businesses are wor-
Brandon Lewis appeared to EU officials have said any gal department, Jonathan the summer, with the two ried about a collapse in the
admit as much when he told attempt to override the in- Jones, quit — reportedly over sides seemingly wide apart talks that could see tariffs and
lawmakers that legislation ternational treaty could jeop- plans to bypass commitments on several issues, notably on other impediments slapped
to be published Wednesday ardize peace in Northern made with regard to the Irish business regulations, the ex- on trade with the EU at the
would change aspects of the Ireland as well as undermine border — only added to the tent to which the U.K. can start of next year.
Brexit withdrawal agreement the chances of any trade deal. sense the talks are going no- support certain industries and Most economists think that
between the U.K. and the Under the terms of Brit- where. over the EU fishing fleet's ac- the costs of a "no-deal" out-
EU. ain's departure, the govern- Though the U.K. left the bloc cess to British waters. come would fall dispropor-
Though details of the Inter- ment has committed itself on Jan. 31, it is in a transition The EU has been particular- tionately on the U.K.q

Poland welcomes new German doubts on pipeline

regrettable that "it required cluding the Baltic states, who tablishing some form of So-
such a dreadful incident to fear that it will allow Russia viet-style control over neigh-
take place." to use its energy resources boring Belarus and Ukraine,
Navalny, a high-profile critic for political leverage over then "this would be very dan-
of Russian President Vladi- Europe, and particularly over gerous for Poland."
mir Putin, was flown to Ger- Ukraine. He spoke as Poland also faces
many last month after falling "Our position was clear and a crisis across its border in Be-
ill in Russia. German experts consistent all these years," larus, where mass street pro-
say tests show he was poi- Jabłonski said. "We have been tests have been taking place
soned with a Soviet-era nerve indicating that this is not since authoritarian President
agent, prompting the Ger- only an economic project, Alexander Lukashenko, in
man government last week to it's mostly a political project, power for 26 years, claimed
demand that Russia investi- and it can also be used as a to have won an election last
gate the case. military tool, as warfare, in month widely viewed as
German Foreign Minis- case Putin would decide to rigged.
ter Heiko Maas said on the stop the gas flowing through Warsaw has long advocated
weekend that the Russian Ukraine." democratic change in Be-
reaction could determine Jabłonski said that Poland is larus, hoping for stability
whether Germany changes itself not dependent on Rus- and democracy on its eastern
its long-standing backing for sian oil and gas anymore after border, that is also the east-
the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, working for years to develop ern border of the European
which will bring Russian gas other sources. It has done Union and NATO.
to Germany under the Baltic that with the construction In recent weeks, Poland
Sea, bypassing Ukraine. of an LNG gas terminal on has been giving support to
"It's good it has not been the Baltic coast that receives members of the Belarusian
overlooked this time -- at imported gas from the U.S. opposition. Dozens of Be-
least it seems so after Heiko and elsewhere. Meanwhile, larusian protesters have re-
Maas's reaction," Jabłonski Poland is also constructing ceived treatment for injuries
(AP) — Poland's gov- minister said Tuesday. said. the Baltic Pipeline, which in in Poland, while Prime Min-
ernment welcomes sig- Germany has long insisted a few years will bring Nor- ister Mateusz Morawiecki is
nals that Germany might In an interview with The that the pipeline is a com- wegian gas to Polish markets. due to meet on Wednesday
stop a controversial gas Associated Press, Paweł mercial project and its indus- But he said it is in Poland's in Warsaw with Sviatlana
pipeline project over the Jabłonski said it was good tries badly need the gas that strategic interest to have Tsikhanouskaya, the main
poisoning of Russian dis- that some German politicians Russia can offer. neighbors who are not sub- opposition challenger to Lu-
sident Alexei Navalny, seem to have had a "wake- Poland, on the other hand, is jugated to Russia. He said if kashenko who now lives in
a Polish deputy foreign up call," adding that it was among several countries, in- Moscow succeeds in re-es- Lithuania. q