BRUSSELS: The European Union removed the last primary obstacle to sealing an agreement on Brexit after Spain said it had reached a deal Saturday with Britain over Gibraltar at the eve of a summit where EU leaders will sign off at the divorce papers.
British Prime Minister Theresa May, who held preparatory talks with EU leaders Saturday night time, will then have the momentous task of marketing the phrases of the deal to a recalcitrant British Parliament and a nation still basically break up over whether or not the United Kingdom must go away the EU on March 29 and beneath what conditions.
May vowed to marketing campaign "with my heart and soul" to win Parliament's backing for the deal."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who had threatened to oppose the deal, introduced Saturday that Madrid would fortify the divorce agreement after the United Kingdom and the EU underscored Spain's say in the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar, which lies at the southern tip of the Mediterranean nation.
Spain needs the way forward for the tiny territory, which was ceded to Britain in 1713 however remains to be claimed by Spain, to be a bilateral factor between Madrid and London, not between Britain and the EU.
In a letter bought by The Associated Press, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk assured Sanchez that Spain's "prior agreement" could be wanted on issues concerning Gibraltar.
Spain claimed a significant diplomatic victory.
"Europe and the United Kingdom have accredited the conditions imposed by Spain," Sanchez said. "Therefore, due to this, Spain will raise its veto and day after today will vote in desire of Brexit."
But Britain said the observation merely clarified the existing situation. May said Britain had conceded nothing at the sovereignty of Gibraltar.
"I will all the time stand by Gibraltar," May said. "The UK place at the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not modified and will not change."
The move must permit EU leaders speedily to sign off at the Brexit agreement at a special summit Sunday morning.
May hopes to depart EU headquarters on Sunday with a legally binding agreement at the withdrawal phrases for Britain's departure from the EU on March 29, as well as an bold however obscure political declaration on future relations between the 2 facets.
Winning warm greetings from her 27 fellow leaders on Sunday will probably be more uncomplicated for May than getting friendly treatment from her colleagues in govt and Parliament once she returns. The British chief is beneath intense pressure from pro-Brexit and pro-EU British lawmakers, with huge numbers on both sides of the talk opposing the divorce deal and dangerous to vote it down on the subject of Parliament next month.
Brexiteers think it's going to go away the United Kingdom tied too intently to EU regulations, while pro-Europeans say it's going to erect new obstacles between Britain and the bloc _ its neighbor and biggest buying and selling partner.
The chief of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, on which May relies to get her govt majority, on Saturday strengthened her celebration's rejection of the Brexit deal. The DUP opposes plans for preserving the border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland open after Brexit, announcing it weakens the binds binding the United Kingdom by developing separate trade regulations for Northern Ireland.
Arlene Foster said in Belfast that the agreement leaves Northern Ireland "open to the perils of higher divergence away from the remainder of the United Kingdom."
The DUP has said it's going to drop its backing of the federal government on account of the Brexit plan.
May insists her deal delivers the at the things that topic maximum to pro-Brexit voters _ keep watch over of budgets, immigration coverage and regulations _ while retaining shut ties to the United Kingdom's European neighbors.
She plans to spend the following couple of weeks promoting it to politicians and the British public ahead of Parliament's vote in December.
In a "letter to the nation" before Sunday's summit, May said she would be "campaigning with my center and soul to win that vote and to ship this Brexit deal, for the good of our United Kingdom and all of our people."
She said Britain's departure from the EU "must mark the point after we put aside the labels of `Leave' and `Remain' for just right and we come in combination once more as one people."
"To do that we want to get on with Brexit now by getting at the back of this deal."
British Prime Minister Theresa May, who held preparatory talks with EU leaders Saturday night time, will then have the momentous task of marketing the phrases of the deal to a recalcitrant British Parliament and a nation still basically break up over whether or not the United Kingdom must go away the EU on March 29 and beneath what conditions.
May vowed to marketing campaign "with my heart and soul" to win Parliament's backing for the deal."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who had threatened to oppose the deal, introduced Saturday that Madrid would fortify the divorce agreement after the United Kingdom and the EU underscored Spain's say in the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar, which lies at the southern tip of the Mediterranean nation.
Spain needs the way forward for the tiny territory, which was ceded to Britain in 1713 however remains to be claimed by Spain, to be a bilateral factor between Madrid and London, not between Britain and the EU.
In a letter bought by The Associated Press, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk assured Sanchez that Spain's "prior agreement" could be wanted on issues concerning Gibraltar.
Spain claimed a significant diplomatic victory.
"Europe and the United Kingdom have accredited the conditions imposed by Spain," Sanchez said. "Therefore, due to this, Spain will raise its veto and day after today will vote in desire of Brexit."
But Britain said the observation merely clarified the existing situation. May said Britain had conceded nothing at the sovereignty of Gibraltar.
"I will all the time stand by Gibraltar," May said. "The UK place at the sovereignty of Gibraltar has not modified and will not change."
The move must permit EU leaders speedily to sign off at the Brexit agreement at a special summit Sunday morning.
May hopes to depart EU headquarters on Sunday with a legally binding agreement at the withdrawal phrases for Britain's departure from the EU on March 29, as well as an bold however obscure political declaration on future relations between the 2 facets.
Winning warm greetings from her 27 fellow leaders on Sunday will probably be more uncomplicated for May than getting friendly treatment from her colleagues in govt and Parliament once she returns. The British chief is beneath intense pressure from pro-Brexit and pro-EU British lawmakers, with huge numbers on both sides of the talk opposing the divorce deal and dangerous to vote it down on the subject of Parliament next month.
Brexiteers think it's going to go away the United Kingdom tied too intently to EU regulations, while pro-Europeans say it's going to erect new obstacles between Britain and the bloc _ its neighbor and biggest buying and selling partner.
The chief of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, on which May relies to get her govt majority, on Saturday strengthened her celebration's rejection of the Brexit deal. The DUP opposes plans for preserving the border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland open after Brexit, announcing it weakens the binds binding the United Kingdom by developing separate trade regulations for Northern Ireland.
Arlene Foster said in Belfast that the agreement leaves Northern Ireland "open to the perils of higher divergence away from the remainder of the United Kingdom."
The DUP has said it's going to drop its backing of the federal government on account of the Brexit plan.
May insists her deal delivers the at the things that topic maximum to pro-Brexit voters _ keep watch over of budgets, immigration coverage and regulations _ while retaining shut ties to the United Kingdom's European neighbors.
She plans to spend the following couple of weeks promoting it to politicians and the British public ahead of Parliament's vote in December.
In a "letter to the nation" before Sunday's summit, May said she would be "campaigning with my center and soul to win that vote and to ship this Brexit deal, for the good of our United Kingdom and all of our people."
She said Britain's departure from the EU "must mark the point after we put aside the labels of `Leave' and `Remain' for just right and we come in combination once more as one people."
"To do that we want to get on with Brexit now by getting at the back of this deal."
Spain to back Brexit deal after UK agrees to Gibraltar terms
Reviewed by Kailash
on
November 25, 2018
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