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BORIS JOHNSON HAS said that he is “quite optimistic” about reaching a trade deal with the European Union as he prepares to discuss progress in talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The British prime minister will take stock of the negotiations in a conference call with von der Leyen today, following the final round of talks scheduled between Brussels and the United Kingdom this week.
Von der Leyen’s remarks that the talks should “step up” have sparked speculation that an agreement could be reached before Johnson’s deadline for the EU Council meeting on October 15.
According to the Financial Times, both sides are keen to agree to more last minute discussions – dubbed “the tunnel” – in London as they seek to finalize a deal.
In an interview with the Telegraph, Johnson said the chances of a deal “are very good if everyone just exercises a little common sense and looks at the deal that’s about to be made.”
He added: “The UK has always been very clear about what we want: we want a Canadian-style relationship.
“We’ve been members for 45 years and I don’t see why they can’t have the same deal with us, so I’m quite optimistic.”
But, in a clear warning to Brussels, he kept on the table his threat to leave without a trade deal, arguing that Britain would be fine under an “Australian” deal with the EU, a Downing Street code term for a no-deal deal. . .
When asked about the possibility of not reaching an agreement, Johnson, who allegedly adopted an Australian accent, replied: “Australia does not terrify us, friend.
“We say, ‘Good for you, don’t worry, no wukkas.’
At a press conference in the Belgian capital yesterday, von der Leyen said he believed a deal was still possible, but warned that time was running out.
He said “the toughest issues”, including the rules on state aid and fisheries, still need to be resolved if a deal is to be reached before the Brexit transition period ends at the end of the year.
“It’s good to have a deal, but not at any price,” he said.
“We have advanced in many, many different fields but of course the most difficult ones are still wide open.
“But in general, where there is a will, there is a way, so I think we should intensify negotiations because it is worth working hard on it.
“We are running out of time, about 100 days to the end of the year, so it is worth stepping up now.”
Downing Street made it clear that Johnson still believed a deal needed to be reached for the next EU summit in two weeks’ time on October 15, otherwise it will be too late to implement before the transition is complete.
The UK’s chief negotiator, Lord Frost, was less optimistic than the Prime Minister about the level of progress achieved so far.
In a statement issued after his meeting yesterday with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, he said that while the “master lines” of an agreement were “visible”, there were still “family differences” to overcome.
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Lord Frost added that there has been “some limited progress” in state aid, while the gap on fisheries was “sadly very large” and may prove “impossible to bridge”.
“I am concerned that there is very little time now to resolve these issues before the October 15 European Council,” he said.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who briefed other EU leaders with von der Leyen on the status of the negotiations, said it was “highly unlikely” that there would be an agreement by the October Council meeting, although significant progress would be needed on the upcoming weeks.
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