May, Juncker agree to 'accelerate' Brexit deal efforts

BRUSSELS: Efforts to reach a Brexit deal should "accelerate over the months to come", British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said in a joint statement Monday after a dinner meeting in Brussels.
"The Prime Minister and the President of the European Commission reviewed the progress made in the Article 50 negotiations so far and agreed that these efforts should accelerate over the months to come," the statement said, referring to the EU's divorce clause for states leaving the bloc.
"The working dinner took place in a constructive and friendly atmosphere."
May came to Brussels on short notice for the talks in a bid to break a deadlock in Brexit talks ahead of a crucial EU summit on Thursday and Friday.
The British prime minister was accompanied by her Brexit minister David Davis, while EU chief negotiator Michael Barnier was also in the meeting.
The statement added that May and Juncker also had a "broad, constructive exchange on current European and global challenges" including their "common interest in preserving the Iran nuclear deal and their work on strengthening the security of citizens in Europe, notably on the fight against terrorism".
The other 27 EU leaders are due to decide whether or not negotiators can move on to discussing post-Brexit trade ties with Britain if "sufficient progress" has been made in divorce talks.
The indication from the EU side is that they will postpone their decision to a summit in December as the break-up negotiations are currently stuck, particularly over the multi-billion-euro exit bill the EU says Britain must pay.
The EU has also demanded progress on the rights of three million European citizens in Britain, and on the future of Northern Ireland. — AFP