Published 03:33 IST, October 11th 2020
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson discusses Brexit with French President Emmanuel Macron
Boris Johnson, who has exhibited confidence in cracking the deal, is reported to have told Macron that he would “explore every avenue” to secure a deal.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a telephonic conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on October 10. Their conversation comes just days before the deadline for a Brexit trade settlement.
Johnson, who has exhibited confidence in cracking the deal, is reported to have told Macron that he would “explore every avenue” to secure a deal. However, he added that he was prepared to leave the Brexit transition period at the end of the year on Australian-style terms with Brussels if necessary, The Guardian reported.
Good prospects of a deal
As the United Kingdom negotiates a rudimentary free trade agreement with the European Union, Johnson has said that the prospects of the deal were good, if people used “common sense”. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph last week, the British leader said that the prospects of a year-end deal to avoid an abrupt Brexit separation were good if everybody “just exercised some common sense” and looked at the deal that is there to be done.
Both sides have acknowledged that time is running out if they are to achieve an agreement before the current Brexit transition period comes to an end, which is in December. However, Johnson has also asserted that he was prepared to walk away from the negotiations if there was no agreement by the time of the next EU summit due to take place on October 15.
UK PM on no-deal exit
Earlier, the British PM had said that a no-deal exit would be a “good outcome for the UK”, triggering strong reactions from the 27-member bloc. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had reacted by saying that a no-deal exit would undermine trust and break the international law. European Council President Charles Michel said that the Withdrawal Agreement was concluded and ratified by both sides and has to be applied in full.
Germany’s European affairs minister Michael Roth had said that the UK needs to be more ‘realistic and pragmatic’ in the Brexit negotiations. He said that he was ‘disappointed’ over London drifting apart from the political declaration agreed between both sides as a reliable basis for the negotiations.
Updated 03:33 IST, October 11th 2020