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WORLD NEWS Thursday 2 May 2019

UK's May seeks Brexit deal 'soon' as delayed exit costs rise

By JILL LAWLESS end this uncertainty and tariff rules would prevent
Associated Press do it as soon as possible Britain striking new trade
LONDON (AP) — Prime and I hope a deal can be deals around the world.
Minister Theresa May said done," May told a commit- May said that if an agree-
Wednesday that she re- tee of lawmakers. "We cer- ment couldn't be reached
mains hopeful of ending tainly approach this with an soon, the House of Com-
Britain's Brexit uncertainty open mind." mons would get to vote on
"as soon as possible" by But, she added: "We a variety of Brexit options.
reaching agreement with haven't yet determined "We stand ready to abide
the political opposition on whether there is a landing by that decision if the op-
terms for leaving the Euro- zone that is going to be position are willing to do
pean Union. possible." so," May said.
May's Conservative gov- The Conservatives and La- Britain voted in June 2016 to
ernment struck a divorce In this grab taken from video, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa bour remain divided over leave the EU. But its depar-
deal with the EU late last May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of how close an economic ture has been postponed
year, but Britain's Parlia- Commons, London, Wednesday May 1, 2019. relationship to seek with the from its originally scheduled
ment has rejected it three Associated Press EU after Brexit. date of March 29 until Oct.
times. May has failed to Labour insists the U.K. should 31 amid political gridlock in
persuade many Brexit- ain too tightly bound to the about reaching a com- remain in a customs union London over the withdraw-
backing lawmakers from bloc's rules. promise, but the meet- with the bloc to avoid bar- al terms.
her own Conservative Party The government has held ings have not produced a riers to trade. The govern- The delayed departure has
to support an agreement several weeks of talks with breakthrough. ment rejects the idea, ar- already caused economic
that they think keeps Brit- the opposition Labour Party "We know that we need to guing that accepting EU uncertainty. q

UN envoy optimistic of Syria constitution committee soon

By EDITH M. LEDERER list need to be removed, position. Pedersen said an-
Associated Press and he believes an agree- other priority is the need to
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — ment can be reached with speed up and expand the
The U.N. special envoy for "goodwill" and "just a little" release of detainees and
Syria said Tuesday that he is compromise. abductees and to clarify
"optimistic" an agreement Pedersen said convening the fate of thousands of
can be reached on the the constitutional commit- missing persons. He said the
long-sought formation of a tee "could be a first sign of government and opposi-
committee to draft a new real movement" and "help tion "should move away
constitution for the war-torn unlock a broader political from the one-for-one ex-
country so it can meet this process — towards U.N.- change framework" and
summer. supervised elections" and scale-up releases.
Geir Pederson told report- hopefully ending the eight- "Meaningful progress on this
ers after briefing the Securi- year civil war. key humanitarian file would
ty Council that he based his The more than yearlong ef- send a positive signal to Syr-
optimism on the "intensive" fort to form a 150-member ians," he said. "It would be
and "very good" dialogue constitutional committee an important confidence-
he has had with the Syrian has been dogged by ob- building measure." United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen gestures as
he speaks to the media following a U.N. Security Council meet-
government and opposi- jections from Syria's govern- He also said that while any ing on Syria at U.N. headquarters, Tuesday, April 30, 2019, in New
tion — as well as "tangible ment over the 50-member political settlement must be York.
progress," including on the list representing experts, Syrian-owned and Syrian- Associated Press
committee's rules of proce- independents, tribal lead- led, the conflict is "highly
dure and composition. ers and women. There is internationalized" and its Pedersen said he wants to ternational cooperation."
He told the council that already agreement on outcome "must enjoy inter- use agreement on a consti- He said "a common forum"
six names on the disputed 50-member lists from the national support and legiti- tutional committee "to see to support political progress
50-member civil society government and the op- macy." revitalized broad-based in- must be found.q