20 October 2017•Update: 20 October 2017
By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal
LONDON
British Prime Minister Theresa May said Friday she is “positive and optimistic” about moving on in Brexit negotiations.
May’s comments came in a news conference as the leaders of the remaining 27 members of the bloc convened to discuss whether enough progress has been made in Brexit talks and signaled their willingness to move on as well.
“Brexit conclusions adopted. Leaders green-light internal EU27 preparations for 2nd phase,” European Council President Donald Tusk said on Twitter shortly after.
However, he concluded that "insufficient progress" had been made in Brexit negotiations over issues such as citizens' rights, the U.K.'s financial obligation and the post-Brexit border arrangements between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Tusk’s statement means the EU will initiate the internal discussions but will not be committed to start the second stage of negotiations in December.
At a jointly held news conference with the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Tusk said reports of a “deadlock” between the EU and the U.K. have been exaggerated, adding that there has been progress.
"I hate the 'no deal' scenario,” Juncker said. "No one wants Brexit negotiations to end without a deal."
“I want to have a fair deal with Britain,” he added.
'Not halfway there'
May reiterated she believed both sides were “in touching distance” of a deal on citizens’ rights and that they were also committed to the 1998 Belfast Agreement peace deal in discussions about the border issue in Northern Ireland.
She added that the U.K. would honor its financial commitments due to EU membership.
French President Emmanuel Macron praised "U.K. openness" but put pressure on May to resolve the financial settlement issue.
"We acknowledge U.K. openness, we're willing to move on to phase 2, but on a financial settlement, we're not halfway there," he said. "Getting to phase 2 and Brexit trade talks [...] is in Theresa May's hands."
"At no point has 'no deal' been part of official Brexit discussions," he added. "The U.K. would be the first to lose in that situation."
On Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there were encouraging signs that Brexit negotiations could move onto the next stage where future trade deals between the U.K. and the EU will be discussed in December.
Juncker on Monday said the U.K. would have to pay a final Brexit bill, which according to estimates, could reach up to £100 billion ($132 billion) -- before they could move negotiations to the next phase.
British voters opted to leave the EU in a referendum over a year ago and Brexit negotiations are expected to be finalized in March 2019.
*Hajer M'tiri contributed to this report from Paris.
