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A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 21 OctOber 2017

EU leaders struggle to break through Brexit talks impasse

By LORNE COOK partners agreed Friday to
VANESSA GERA begin discussing among
Associated Press themselves what their joint
BRUSSELS (AP) — Leaders position should be on future
of Britain and the 27 other relations and trade. That
European Union members would get them ready to
agreed Friday that much tackle the issue at their
remains to be done in Brexit next summit on Dec. 14-
talks amid deep divisions 15, provided they find the
about the terms of their divorce terms are settled,
breakup, particularly on and shows the British a
how much London should measure of goodwill.
pay in the divorce. May argues that the divorce
While EU President Donald terms and future relations
Tusk said that “reports of are closely interlinked
a deadlock between the and cannot therefore be
European Union and the negotiated separately. She
United Kingdom have acknowledged Friday that
been exaggerated,” many much remains to be done
other leaders were far on some of the divorce
less upbeat as a two-day issues before the European
summit in Brussels wrapped Union sees “enough
up. French President progress” to move on.
Emmanuel Macron said She said both sides were
“there is a lot of work left to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, left, and European Council President within “touching distance”
Donald Tusk participate in a media conference at the conclusion of an EU summit in Brussels on
do” in the highly complex Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. European Union leaders gathered Friday to weigh progress in negotiations on citizens’ rights but still
talks on Britain’s exit from on Britain’s departure from their club as they look for new ways to speed up the painfully slow had more work to do on
the bloc, which will take moving process. settling the border between
place on March 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) EU member country Ireland
“We have not gone even The aim is now to widen negotiations, they remain billion), compared with a and Northern Ireland,
halfway down the road,” the talks in mid-December, bogged down on the terms possible 20 billion euro offer which is part of the U.K.,
Macron told reporters. but doubt remains over of divorce, which the EU from London. and agreeing on the Brexit
British Prime Minister whether that deadline can insists must be finalized May has promised to bill. Ireland’s leader, Leo
Theresa May urged her EU be met. before talks move onto pay into the EU budget Varadkar, praised May for
counterparts to bring new “I am ambitious and trade. The main divorce until 2020, but has not what he called her “very
momentum to the talks, positive for Britain’s future issues include the rights of committed her country to positive language” but said
even as an interim goal was and for these negotiations. citizens affected by Brexit, future financial obligations “we’re a long way” from
missed to widen the talks But I know we still have the status of the Ireland- or specified what these getting to the next step.
from the more immediate some way to go,” May said, Northern Ireland border would be. She said her German Chancellor
divorce issues to future EU- after informal breakfast and the exact sum of government is now going Angela Merkel said the
U.K. relations and trade talks with the other leaders. Britain’s exit bill — which through this “line by line.” way things proceed next
arrangements after Britain Despite calls from both the EU estimates at 60- To try to break the depend largely on the
leaves. sides to accelerate the 100 billion euros ($70-120 deadlock, May’s EU British government.q

Merkel seeks EU’s patience as Germany forms new government

BERLIN (AP) — German ness Free Democrats and but it is likely to be weeks ment in Germany,” she told later Friday.
Chancellor Angela Merkel the traditionally left-leaning or months before they con- reporters. “But what must stand
asked her European Union Greens. The combination clude. The prospective coali- above everything is: what
partners Friday for patience hasn’t been tried before Merkel said after an EU tion partners have differ- do people in this country
in discussing the bloc’s at the national level in Ger- summit in Brussels Friday ing views on issues such as expect of us? What do they
future as she engages in many. that the talks will include taxes, the environment, expect for their lives?” she
what could be lengthy ef- Exploratory talks opened EU-related issues such as admitting migrants and the added. “We must sound
forts to form a government. Wednesday and stepped the eurozone’s future. fallout from the eurozone out whether we can form a
Germany’s Sept. 24 elec- up Friday, when represen- “It’s not yet foreseeable debt crisis. government that can deliv-
tion left Merkel trying to tatives of the potential part- when I can present results, “There is certainly a readi- er what is important for our
form a new coalition made ners all met together for the and we will need in the ness on my part to think country — for jobs, for se-
up of her conservative first time. The discussions are coming weeks respect for creatively,” Merkel said af- curity in a comprehensive
Union bloc, the pro-busi- scheduled through Nov. 2, the formation of a govern- ter arriving back in Berlin sense.”.q