Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 13 december 2017

EU’s Tusk: Brexit will be a “furious race against time”

tween the EU and Britain any backtracking from the
was merely “a statement of U.K.”
intent,” while they see it as “We will have a final agree-
cast in stone. ment only if the political
Guy Verhofstadt said it was commitments taken by
an “unacceptable descrip- (Prime Minister) Theresa
tion” to call the deal any- May in the name of the Brit-
thing less than a “legally ish government last Friday
enforceable text.” are respected,” Barnier
Davis’ comments Sunday said.
have caused unease in the German deputy foreign
EU which is expected to minister Michael Roth sug-
seep into the two-day sum- gested some U.K. politicians
mit. Verhofstadt told report- were sending different
ers at the EU legislature that messages to the EU and to
Davis’ statement “is really domestic audiences. May’s
undermining the trust that government is divided be-
is necessary in such nego- tween pro-EU lawmakers
tiations.” It was a reminder and politicians who favor a
of how precious a com- tough Brexit, and fear she
modity trust is in the talks, may be compromising too
which so far have reached much with the bloc.
agreement only on Britain’s “One should act and speak
European Council President Donald Tusk addresses a media conference at the Europa building in outstanding EU bill, the joint exactly the same way here
Brussels. Tusk warned Tuesday that it will be a “furious race against time” for the EU and Britain to EU-U.K. border in Ireland as in London,” Roth said on
finish Brexit negotiations by next fall. and citizens’ rights in each the sidelines of a meeting
(AP Photo/Geert Wijngaert) other’s countries. in Brussels Tuesday, Ger-
By RAF CASERT achieved so far. In a signal of rough seas “We only have 10 months man news agency dpa re-
JILL LAWLESS EU leaders will be asked at ahead, the two sides are left to determine the transi- ported. He said he was sur-
Associated Press a summit starting Thursday already bickering over tion period and our future prised that the British gov-
BRUSSELS (AP) — European to endorse proposals move the stage-one deal an- relations with the UK. This will ernment’s communication
Union Council President to the second phase of ne- nounced with great fan- be a furious race against in Brussels was “somewhat
Donald Tusk warned Tues- gotiations and include fu- fare on Friday. time,” said Tusk in his invita- different” to its communi-
day that it will be a “furi- ture trade relations. Even if The European Parliament’s tion letter to EU leaders for cation in London.
ous race against time” for they do, Tusk warned most top Brexit legislator was their year-end summit on May’s official spokesman,
the EU and Britain to finish of the work is still ahead if among several EU leaders Thursday and Friday. James Slack, insisted the
Brexit negotiations by next Britain is to make an orderly criticizing British negotiator Chief EU negotiator Michel British government was fully
fall, saying only “moder- departure from the EU on David Davis for saying that Barnier warned Tuesday committed to keeping its
ate progress” has been March 29, 2019. last week’s agreement be- that “we will not accept side of the deal.q

NATO prolongs chief Stoltenberg’s term for 2 more years

By LORNE COOK of the Islamic State group in his term prolonged. I know he’ll continue to tion between NATO and
Associated Press Syria and Iraq. British Prime Minister There- modernize the Alliance the European Union, which
BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO on NATO said in a statement sa May lauded Stoltenberg and strengthen our collec- have 22 member states in
Tuesday extended Sec- that its 29 member nations as a “true champion of the tive defense.” Last week, common. NATO secretar-
retary-General Jens Stol- decided to prolong the NATO alliance.” the German government ies-general chair meetings
tenberg’s tenure for two former Norwegian prime She said “he has made sure backed a two-year exten- of the North Atlantic Coun-
more years as head of the minister’s term until Sept. that NATO has stood strong sion of Stoltenberg’s term. cil, which meets at head
world’s biggest military alli- 30, 2020. It said the allies but not stood still, meeting Defense Minister Ursula von of government and state
ance, setting him up to be “congratulate the Secre- Russian aggression in east- der Leyen said Stoltenberg level, ministerial level, and
its longest-serving civilian tary-General and have full ern Europe while reforming had “the full support of more often among ambas-
leader since the end of the confidence in his ability to to face developing threats Germany,” adding that he sadors. Stoltenberg’s main
Cold War. continue his dedicated such as cyber-attacks and had “done excellent work task is as an administrator
Stoltenberg, 58, has held work to advance NATO’s hybrid-warfare.” modernizing NATO and to run the NATO headquar-
the post since 2014 and his adaptation to the secu- Many allies took to Twitter adapting its structures to ters in Brussels and to forge
term has been marked by rity challenges of the 21st to congratulate him, with a changed security situa- consensus among member
a spike in global security century.” Stoltenberg told U.S. NATO envoy Kay Bai- tion.” states whose views on se-
challenges, including a re- reporters that he was “hon- ley Hutchison saying “he’s She also praised his strong curity challenges routinely
surgent Russia and the rise ored and grateful” to have been a terrific leader and support of closer coopera- differ. q