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Britain announced to raise the alert status within the army to protect borders and fishing areas in case negotiations with the European Union on “Brexit” fail.
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 formally left the European Union on January 31 but still abides by European rules for the transition period ending on December 31, will regain full control over its waters to from 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.
This spread is reminiscent of the bad memory of the “cod wars” with Iceland over fishing rights in the North Atlantic, which lasted for nearly 20 years before a final deal was reached in the 1970s.
It is appropriate”
Preparations have accelerated, given the possibility that the deadline expires without reaching an agreement, in recent days between the two parties, since the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, they expressed pessimism about the outcome of the talks.
The negotiations stalled on three issues: hunting, dispute settlement in the future agreement and guarantees required by the European Union and London on competition.
And if there is no progress until Sunday, the exchanges between the two will take place according to the rules of the World Trade Organization, that is, according to customs tariffs and quota systems.
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. .
The lack of flexibility of the two parties made it impossible to bridge the divergent positions from the beginning, between preserving the status quo regarding access to these waters from the European side, and total control of London with quotas negotiated annually.
Retired Admiral Alan West, former chief of the Naval General Staff, saw fit to prepare for possible tensions in British waters.
He told the BBC: “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.”
Poisoned relationships
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”.
For his part, Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, a former British Army captain and head of the Parliamentary Defense Committee, fears that Britain’s image will be damaged.
He told the BBC: “We are faced with the prospect of seeing the Royal Navy, which is already burdened by its work, face a close NATO ally on fishing rights,” adding: “We must build alliances , do not break them. “
For his part, Scottish Justice Minister Hamza Youssef, a member of the Scottish National Party in support of the European Union, said “cannon diplomacy will not be welcomed in Scottish waters.”
Conservative chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Tugendhat wrote in a tweet in French that the “risk of poisoning the relationship” between France and Britain was “real.”
