Britain needs to be 'realistic and pragmatic' in Brexit talks, says German minister

With nearly seven months into the transition period, Germany’s European affairs minister Michael Roth has reportedly said that the UK needs to be more ‘realistic and pragmatic’ in the Brexit negotiations with the EU. While the UK-EU Brexit talks have reached a deadlock, Roth expressed deep disappointment in an interview with an international media agency because these negotiations will establish the future relationship of Britain with the 27-nation-bloc. 

Germany’s European affairs minister also expressed astonishment about the UK appearing to not have any increased interest in the discussion of foreign and security issues with the European Union. He has reportedly said that he is ‘disappointed’ that London is drifting apart from the political declaration agreed between both sides as the reliable basis for the negotiations. Therefore, Roth said that he would like the ones responsible in the UK to be more ‘realistic and pragmatic’ and added that the ‘Brits’ are known for their pragmatism. 

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Britain is in an 11-month transition period with the 27-nation-bloc after exiting the union on January 31. The UK and EU had begun the trade negotiations in March after being halted due to coronavirus outbreak and it would set the frame for the future relationship between both sides after December 31. However, not much progress has been made in the talks and in the letter, Frost had also accused Barnier of demanding unprecedented authority over the British laws and its institutions through “novel and unbalances proposals”.

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Germany's Merkel reprimands UK administration

Roth’s remarks about ‘pragmatism’ came just a week after German chancellor Angela Merkel asked the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government to show more ‘realism’ during the Brexit negotiations. Merkel’s comments came after EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier told the assembled leaders of the EU that the deal with Britain this year was ‘very unlikely’ and assured that the EU would be open to revisiting some of the issues in the upcoming year in the hope that separate deals can be achieved. 

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(With inputs from agency)

Image: AP