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The British Ministry of Defense revealed the willingness of 14,000 soldiers within its forces to deploy and assist in the post-Brexit transition phase, in the event that an agreement with Europe was not reached.
According to the British media, the army helicopters are also ready for use in coastal surveillance.
The announcement came on the eve of the right to reach a trade deal between the UK and the European Union for the post-Brexit phase, and the Royal Navy is ready to protect British maritime fishing areas where tensions could arise if negotiations fail.
On Saturday, European negotiator Michel Barnier met with his British counterpart, David Frost, in Brussels for final discussions ahead of the decision, expected to be announced on Sunday, on the fate of the post-war negotiations. Brexit.
Talks were still continuing between the two teams on Saturday night and are likely to continue through Sunday, according to sources familiar with the course.
In the event that no deal is reached, Britain, which officially left the European Union on January 31 but still respects European rules for the transitional period ending on December 31, will regain full control over its waters from on the first day of next January.
Four 80-meter vessels have been put on hold to prevent European Union fishing vessels from entering British waters in the event that a new agreement on fishing rights is not reached, which is one of the stumbling blocks of trade negotiations. .
The British Defense Ministry confirmed that the ships are in a state of readiness, explaining that “it has carried out extensive planning and preparations to ensure that the defense is ready for various scenarios at the end of the transition period,” according to a ministry spokesperson.
The negotiations stalled on three issues: hunting, dispute settlement in the future agreement and guarantees required by the European Union and London on competition.
Hunting is one of the difficult topics in trade negotiations. Although it is not a major economic burden, it is of great importance for several member states (France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Ireland), where fishermen want to preserve access to British waters which are very rich in fish. .
Retired Admiral Alan West, former chief of the Naval General Staff, saw fit to prepare for possible tensions in British waters.
He told the British Broadcasting Corporation “BBC” that “it is appropriate for the Royal Navy to protect our waters if the situation is that we are a sovereign country and the government does not want to see fishing boats from another country there.”
In response to a question from the BBC, former European Commissioner and Minister Chris Patten accused the Prime Minister of acting in accordance with the tendencies of “English nationalism”.
Conservative Chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Tugendhat also tweeted in French that the “risk of poisoning the relationship” between France and Britain was “real.”
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