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A8 world news
Friday 1 September 2017

Money the key stumbling block in EU-Britain divorce talks

By RAF CASERT staff pensions to commit-
LORNE COOK ments made to developing
Associated Press countries.
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Eu- Britain, for its part, says the
ropean Union and Britain EU is taking a “maximalist”
were locked Thursday in a approach to such issues,
bitter fight over the divorce but wants to talk about
bill London will have to pay trade as soon as possible as
on Brexit, a standoff that fu- its actual departure date
els concerns over a messy gets nearer.
breakup with no deal at all. In testy comments after
Britain is insisting that it has four days of talks, Barnier
no obligation to meet all said it would only be logi-
the EU’s financial demands cal that Britain pays for
while the EU says that with- commitments it made as
out clarity on the bottom far back as 2014 and not
line, it will refuse to heed leave the remaining 27 EU
Britain’s demand to quickly nations footing the bill.
open talks on a future re- “It would not be fair,” he
lationship which would be said. “After this week, it is
vital for a smooth transition clear the U.K. does not feel
once Britain leaves the EU legally obliged to honor its
in March 2019. obligations after depar-
The two sides remained European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, right, participates in a media conference ture.”
with British Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis at EU headquarters in
at loggerheads over a Brussels on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. The EU and Britain concluded a third round of Brexit negotiations According to some esti-
number of issues beyond on Thursday. mates, Britain’s bill to cover
Britain’s financial commit- (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) commitments it has made
ments, including the rights pal subjects,” Michel Bar- separation talks. start talking about a future could be around 60 billion
of citizens in each other’s nier, the EU’s chief Brexit After the British government relationship unless key is- euros ($71 billion). Many
areas and the Irish border. negotiator, said at a press triggered the two-year sues like financial commit- in the British government
“We did not get any deci- conference after the con- separation proceedings in ments are dealt with. These have balked at anything
sive progress on any princi- clusion of the third round of March, the EU said it will not include everything from that high. q
UK’s May reassures on Brexit, backs Japan on North Korea

By KEN MORITSUGU action. On Brexit, May said she is where the opportunities of boarded a Japanese war-
Associated Press “China does have a par- seeking to lay the founda- doing so are greater than ship and attended a meet-
TOKYO (AP) — British Prime ticular position in this, they tion to take the trade and Japan, the third-largest ing of Japan’s National
Minister Theresa May sought have leverage on North investment relationship with economy in the world,” she Security Council to under-
to reassure Japanese busi- Korea and I believe that Japan to “a whole new said. score her country’s deep-
ness leaders about Brexit we should be encourag- level” as the U.K. leaves the Some Japanese compa- ening security ties with Ja-
on Thursday, while also ing China to exercise that European Union. nies with factories in the pan.She and Japanese
joining Japan in calling on leverage,” she said at a “This is a formative period United Kingdom are wor- Defense Minister Itsunori
China to use its influence to joint news conference after in shaping the future of my ried about their ability to Onodera met on the Izumo
pressure North Korea to halt talks with Japanese Prime country,” she said in re- export to the rest of Europe at a naval base in Yokosu-
its nuclear weapons and Minister Shinzo Abe. marks earlier to a Japan- after Brexit. ka, south of Tokyo.
missile development. The British leader said she U.K. business forum. Britain voted to leave the “My visit today is a sign of
May, whose visit came and Abe had agreed to She pledged that Britain European Union in June the growing cooperation
shortly after North Korea work with others to step up would deepen trade rela- 2016, and triggered the for- and partnership that we
launched a missile over Ja- pressure on North Korea, tions and become even mal two-year exit process have on defense matters,”
pan, said the global con- including a speeding-up more outward-looking in March. May said in comments
demnation of the launch of the implementation of post-Brexit. May, on her first visit to broadcast on Japanese
needs to be matched with sanctions. “There are few places Japan as prime minister, TV. q