Both parties in the Brexit negotiation seem to be fully
ready for any hard Brexit position from any of the parties concerned.
Eastern Europeans in their opening salvos have decided to
build up united front strategically.
Consequently, French and German leaders have publicly and categorically
maintained the exit deal must be negotiated separately and before the
association agreement.
Which means before any future relationship with both parties
are worked out, the terms of the eixt must be sorted out first.
In other words, the terms of the divorce must be settled
before discussing how the UK and EU are going to get along as neighbours.
Such a position perfectly suits the EU, as most of the areas
they want would be discussed and settled early enough, before Britain is given
any opportunity to make argument concerning their areas of interests, which is
mainly on trade agreement with the European Union after the final exit is done.
Though Mr Tusk has said that divorce issues do not ned to be
conclude before the kick-start of trade talks, saying that all the EU needs is "sufficient
progress" in them before moving to the next phase.
Such a strategy allows the EU to assert that it has to some
extent compromise its position, by the British Prime Minister a carrot, as one
EU source told Sky News earlier.
Furthermore, Mr Muscat stated that the size of the divorce
bill Britain faces after Brexit does not have to be settled before talks about
trade etc begin, just an agreement on the methodology on reaching the final
tally.
This could allow Mrs May to argue talks are happening in
parallel, while the EU will be able to maintain they are not.
As the parties manoeuvre they know they must maintain
goodwill, so a sour start does not end up causing damage to both sides.
Like teenage lovers, the break-up is under way.
Both sides say they are sure they'll stay the best of
friends, while others looking on wonder how long they'll be able to keep it up.
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