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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 21 august 2019
UK, EU only harden their positions on Brexit as G-7 nears

By RAF CASERT border is misleading.”
DANICA KIRKA Such words left a huge rift
Associated Press between the sides, just as
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Eu- Johnson was preparing to
ropean Union and Britain, visit German Chancellor
which are hurtling toward Angela Merkel in Berlin on
a costly, damaging no- Wednesday and French
deal split in a little over two President Emmanuel Ma-
months, kicked off a high- cron in Paris on Thursday.
wire week of diplomacy His trips should culminate
Tuesday by entrenching in more talks at a summit of
themselves deeper in their G-7 leaders this weekend in
irreconcilable positions. Biarritz, France.
Highlighting new British On a rare note of guarded
Prime Minister Boris John- optimism, Merkel suggest-
son’s determination to ed Tuesday that a “practi-
leave the bloc on Oct. 31 cal solution” could still be
even if no Brexit divorce found for the Irish border
deal is in place, his gov- issue, making the back-
ernment said as of Sept. 1 stop superfluous. But she
it would stop attending all Britain’s opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn arrives to meet business leaders at the Business and said finding such a solution
EU meetings where its vital Technology Centre, Stevenage, England, Tuesday Aug. 20, 2019, to discuss the impact of leaving wouldn’t require reopening
interests were not at stake. the EU without a deal. negotiations on the current
Johnson’s Downing Street Associated Press Brexit deal.
office doubled down on the EU Commission and European Council chief prevent the reintroduc- Johnson has vowed to
the message later, stating Council to the EU’s remain- Donald Tusk responded tion of border checks on leave the EU “come what
that unless the trade back- ing 27 nations, which was quickly and vigorously, people and goods moving may” on Oct. 31, with or
stop on the Irish border was obtained by The Associ- defending the so-called between Northern Ireland without a deal aimed at
abolished “there’s no pros- ated Press, the member backstop — an insurance and Ireland. softening the transition.
pect of a deal.” states were strongly urged policy meant to avoid a The EU’s diplomatic note To that effect, U.K. Secre-
The EU, which is not known not to give in to Johnson’s hard border between Ire- said it needed to counter tary of State Steve Barclay
for its speedy diplomacy, demand that the legal land and Northern Ireland. Johnson’s assertions, insist- said Tuesday that the dip-
took only half a day to re- withdrawal agreement the “Those against the back- ing “it is incorrect to state lomatic corps “will only go
buff a four-page proposal EU negotiated with his pre- stop and not proposing that the people of Northern to the (EU) meetings that
by Johnson on breaking decessor, Theresa May, be realistic alternatives in fact Ireland have no influence really matter, reducing at-
a deadlock over ensuring changed at this late stage. support reestablishing a over the legislation that tendance by over half and
a transparent border be- Johnson demanded late border,” Tusk tweeted Tues- would apply to them.” saving hundreds of hours.”
tween the EU’s Ireland and Monday that the EU re- day. “Even if they do not Similarly, it said “the let- He said that would free
the U.K.’s Northern Ireland. open Brexit negotiations, admit it.” ter’s suggestion that two up time for ministers and
The bloc said one key part scrapping “anti-democrat- The backstop would keep separate legal, political, staff “to get on with pre-
of the proposal was “incor- ic” provisions for the Irish Britain closely aligned with economic, and monetary paring for our departure
rect” and another “mis- border that he said would the European customs jurisdictions already exist on October 31 and seizing
leading.” threaten the peace pro- union if the two sides can’t on the island and can be the opportunities that lie
In the diplomatic note from cess in Northern Ireland. agree on other ways to managed with an open ahead.”q

Dutch ex-defense chief against joining Persian Gulf mission

By MIKE CORDER Discussions about the pos- Mark Rutte’s ruling coalition
Associated Press sible security mission come are U.S. requests to take
THE HAGUE, Netherlands against a backdrop of part in operations in Syria
(AP) — The former head of deepening confrontation and the Persian Gulf crisis
Dutch defense forces said between Iran and the West with Iran.
he believes the Nether- after U.S. President Donald Britain has so far been the
lands should not take part Trump pulled Washington only U.S. ally to express will-
in a U.S.-led mission to pro- out of Tehran’s nuclear ingness to join a maritime
tect shipping in the strate- deal with world powers security mission.
gic Strait of Hormuz if the over a year ago. European nations are re-
aim of the operation is to Berlijn said that if the mission luctant and Germany has
pile more pressure on Iran. proposed by the Trump ad- said it will not be involved.
The comments of former ministration is aimed at put- Britain also has been giv-
defense chief Dick Berlijn ting more pressure on Iran, ing U.K.-flagged vessels a
came in an interview pub- “I’m strongly opposed to naval escort since the Ira-
lished in Tuesday’s edition that.” nian Revolutionary Guard’s
of Dutch daily De Volksk- Berlijn’s comments were seizure of the Stena Impero A supertanker hosting an Iranian flag is seen on the water in the
rant. published on the day Dutch tanker in July. British territory of Gibraltar, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019.
“I don’t think we should Cabinet ministers held an The tanker is still being held Associated Press
take part in an American informal meeting to discuss by the Islamic Republic.
operation in which we ab- strategy after Parliament’s The Persian Gulf region has Iran and the downing of a the tanker attacks, al-
solutely do not know what summer break. witnessed six attacks on U.S. surveillance drone by though it has seized other
is going to happen,” he Among key foreign policy oil tankers in recent weeks Iranian forces. tankers.q
said. issues facing Prime Minister that the U.S. has blamed on Iran denied it was behind