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Agencies
Brussels
Top EU~figures welcomed Thursday the Brexit divorce deal struck with London, even as British Prime Minister Theresa May was battling domestically for the deal's - and her own - political survival.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was"very glad" that a deal had been struck, after"long and not entirely easy negotiations."
"We have a document on the table that has been adopted by the EU and the UK, and so for me the question of further negotiations does not arise," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.
On Wednesday, May's government gave its backing to the withdrawal agreement, leading EU negotiators to declare that"decisive progress"had been made in efforts to secure an orderly departure when Britain leaves the European Union in March. European Council President Donald Tusk convened an EU~summit on November 25 for the bloc's remaining 27 leaders to approve the agreement, as well as a still-to-be finalized political declaration on future relations between Britain and the EU. European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said he was satisfied about three key elements of the deal: the protection of EU citizens' rights, British financial commitments and the avoidance of a hard border on the island of Ireland. The EU legislature, which must ratify the deal, will cast its vote early next year, Tajani added. Others were more cautious in their assessment of progress."Our work is not finished,"~EU~Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said early Thursday."We still have a long road, a long road ahead of us on both sides."
The European Commission refused to be drawn on the consequences of Thursday's political turmoil in London."Our negotiating partner is Prime Minister May and the UK government.
We continue to work in good faith with them," spokesman Margaritis Schinas told journalists in Brussels. Tusk also declined to comment on developments in Britain."All I can say is that the EU is prepared for a final deal with the United Kingdom in November. We are also prepared for a no-deal scenario," Tusk said.
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16/11/2018
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