May heads to EU to push for Brexit breakthrough

SANAA, Feb. 20 (YPA) –  British Prime Minister Teresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will meet in Brussels on Wednesday to continue their efforts to find a way to get their Brexit deal through Britain’s parliament

A series of meetings between EU officials and Britain in recent days have not produced a breakthrough after the British parliament categorically rejected May’s exit agreement with the European Union in November.

Although the May spokesman said the meeting was an “important” part of the dialogue process with the EU, sources said it was not sure at all whether the meetings this week would find a concrete way to break the deadlock in the British parliament.

The main sticking point concerns the so-called Ireland arrangement for a policy that would prevent the return of intensive inspections at the sensitive border between the Republic of Ireland, a member of the European Union and Northern Ireland.

“The 27 EU states will not reopen the exit agreement and we can not accept a time limit for the Irish arrangement or a unilateral exit clause,” a spokesman for the European Commission said.

“There will be further talks this week to see if there can be a way to achieve the greatest support possible in the British Parliament and to respect the guidelines agreed upon by the European Council.

“We are listening to the British government and working with it to achieve an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on March 29,” he said.

May spokesman said once again that the prime minister aims to persuade the EU to reopen the EU exit agreement.

Sameera Hassn