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A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 14 august 2019
Bolton's UK trade-deal promise leaves questions unanswered

By JILL LAWLESS be the only people actu-
Associated Press ally wanting this, because
LONDON (AP) — British Trump doesn't really be-
Prime Minister Boris John- lieve in trade anyway. He's
son said Tuesday that get- a 'U.S. first' person."
ting a free trade deal with The value of the British
the United States would be pound has plummeted in
"a tough old haggle," after recent weeks as the odds
U.S. National Security Ad- shorten on Britain crashing
viser John Bolton promised out of the EU without an
the U.K. quick sector-by- agreement, an outcome
sector trade deals once it most economists say would
leaves the European Union. cause economic turmoil.
Bolton said after meeting Britain's Parliament has re-
Johnson on Monday that "it jected the existing divorce
might be possible to reach agreement and the EU re-
a bilateral agreement very fuses to renegotiate, so a
quickly, very straightfor- no-deal Brexit appears in-
wardly" in some areas of creasingly likely.
trade after Brexit. Pro-EU lawmakers hope to
Bolton said that "in the take action in Parliament
Trump administration, Brit- this fall to block a no-deal
ain's constantly at the front Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a roundtable to improve the criminal justice departure — either by
of the trade queue — or system, at 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. passing legislation or by
line as we say." Associated Press bringing down the govern-
The comments could be ment, which could lead to
interpreted as a boost to "We will do a great deal aviation. But he cautioned said. "So it's not impossible an early election.
Johnson, who has vowed with them and it will open that grander claims about to see them announcing Johnson has refused to rule
that Britain will leave the EU up opportunities for U.K. a trans-Atlantic free trade on Nov. 1: 'We have a trade out suspending Parliament
on Oct. 31, with or without a businesses, and especially deal were premature. deal.' It might not mean an if legislators try to delay or
divorce deal. Supporters of service companies, in the "The scope for significant awful lot. ... The devil, as of- prevent Brexit. On Tuesday
Brexit say a free trade deal U.S.," he said. growth in trade from the ten, could be in the detail." a judge set a hearing next
with the United States can "It will be a tough old hag- U.K. side is not great," he As for Bolton's "front of the month for an attempt by
help make up for any re- gle — but we will get there," said. "From the U.S. side ... queue" remark — a dig at opposition lawmakers to
duction in commerce with he added. there is scope for a lot more former President Barack stop Johnson from bypass-
the EU after Britain leaves Trade experts said Bolton's U.S. exports of agriculture" Obama's 2016 assertion ing Parliament to force
the bloc's single market for warm words for Britain left — but those would be con- that a post-Brexit Britain through a no-deal Brexit.
goods and services. many key questions unan- troversial in Britain, where would be at the "back of At the Court of Session in
In 2018, Britain did almost swered. many regard U.S., animal- the queue" for a U.S. trade Edinburgh, Judge Ray-
half its trade with the EU, David Henig, director of the welfare standards as lax. deal — Henig said "it's not mond Doherty said a sub-
while the U.S. accounted U.K. Trade Policy Project at He said both governments entirely clear that anybody stantive hearing should
for 18% of U.K. exports and the European Centre for could want a "token" trade else is in the queue." take place Sept. 6 on a
11% of imports. International Political Econ- deal for political reasons. "Most people are trying to claim by more than 70 par-
Johnson said Tuesday that omy, said sectoral trade "President Trump wants a avoid having trade deals liamentarians that sending
"In the U.S. there are all sorts deals were feasible, along win before the election with the U.S. because they lawmakers home before
of opportunities we have to the lines of the U.S.-EU next year, Boris Johnson think they'd be disadvanta- Oct. 31 would be "unlawful
open up trade." Open Skies agreement on wants a U.S. deal," Henig geous," he said. "We may and unconstitutional."q

U.N. urges reluctant EU nations to help stranded migrants

By LORNE COOK even though the Italian Red Cross says nearly 600
BRUSSELS (AP) — The United island of Lampedusa ap- people have died or gone
Nations refugee agency pears closest. About 150 missing in waters between
urgently appealed to Eu- of the rescued passengers Libya, Italy and Malta in
ropean governments Tues- have been on the Spanish- 2019.
day to let two migrant res- flagged charity ship the The agency said many of
cue ships disembark more Open Arms since they were the people on the ships
than 500 passengers who plucked from the Mediter- "are reportedly survivors of
remain stranded at sea as ranean 13 days ago. appalling abuses in Libya."
countries bicker over who "This is a race against time," Cochetel said the ships
should take responsibility Vincent Cochetel, the Inter- "must be immediately al-
for them. national Red Cross special lowed to dock" and their
The people rescued while envoy for the central Medi- passengers "allowed to
attempting to cross the terranean, said in a state- receive much-needed hu-
Mediterranean Sea from In this photo taken Saturday and released Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, ment. "Storms are coming, manitarian aid."
a rescue team of the Ocean Viking ship, operated by the NGOs
North Africa are on ships Sos Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders, approaches a and conditions are only go- "To leave people who have
chartered by humanitarian rubber dinghy with over 80 migrants off the Libyan coast. ing to get worse." fled war and violence in
aid groups that the Italian Associated Press While the number of mi- Libya on the high seas in
government has banned grants reaching Europe by this weather would be to
from its territory. The archi- has refused to let the ships It's unclear where they sea has dropped substan- inflict suffering upon suffer-
pelago nation of Malta also into that country's ports. might find safe harbor, tially so far this year, the ing," the envoy said.q