Merkel shock U-turn? German leader has ‘absolutely NO DOUBTS’ about a ‘successful’ Brexit
ANGELA Merkel has admitted that she has “absolutely no doubts” that Britain can achieve a successful Brexit with a “good result”.
Merkel: We hope to be ready to initiate phase two by December
It comes as Theresa May warned European Union leaders that she will walk away from any proposed Brexit deal that she cannot "defend" to the UK public.
Over dinner with her European counterparts at a crunch summit in Brussels, the Prime Minister made clear that the patience of UK voters with soaring EU demands for a multi-billion divorce payment was running out.
Speaking later Ms Merkel said on Thursday she had no doubts that the EU and Britain could achieve a good result on Brexit.
The German Chancellor said: "I have absolutely no doubts that if we are all focused - and the speech in Florence was a contribution - that we can get a good result.
"From my side there are no indications at all that we won't succeed.”
Mrs May also said she had "recognised the difficulty the process was in”, adding: "I took stock, listened to the people in the UK and my friends and partners in Europe were saying and I made a step forward."
The Prime Minister continued: "Both sides were agreed subsequent rounds would be conducted in a new spirit and there's an increasing sense we must work together to get to an outcome we can stand behind and defend to our people."
Earlier Ms Merkel had claimed the progress made in Brexit negotiations so far with the UK was “not sufficient enough”.
I have absolutely no doubts that if we are all focused - and the speech in Florence was a contribution - that we can get a good result.
Speaking as she arrived at the EU council summit, Mrs Merkel said: “Tomorrow we are going to discuss the exit of Great Britain from the EU, Michel Barnier will tell us about the progress that has been made.
“At this point, the progress made is not sufficient enough to move on to the second phase of negotiations but they are giving me the confidence to continue the work to start the second phase in December."
Germany has repeatedly blocked proposals from the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier to loosen his mandate and allow talks on a transition to begin.
Berlin has also been adamant that Britain must agree to pay up on a Brexit bill of up to £90billion before it will countenance moving onto trade, a position that has brought the talks to deadlock.
Theresa May: We will set out AMBITIOUS Brexit plans
Dr Michael Fuchs, vice chairman of Ms Merkel’s CDU party, said: “First of all the money is pretty much very important. You have to accept that there are a lot of things to be paid. Let me just say pensions, which is not solved.
“The UK has to come up with a decent proposal. It’s not a decent proposal, it is a proposal, but it is not enough.”
When asked whether Germany would be happy with a hard Brexit, Mr said: “Not at all.
“First of all Germany is not happy with Brexit as such. We want Britain to remain a member of the EU, that is very clear.
“We think Germany is the country which most likely misses Britain the most, much more than other countries in the southern hemisphere.”
But papers leaked yesterday reveal Germany’s foreign ministry has drawn up proposals for an “ambitious and far-reaching” EU free trade deal with the UK after Brexit.