US agrees to ‘immediate’ talks: UK
london — US President Donald Trump has agreed to start immediate trade talks with Britain with the goal of preserving current arrangements when it leaves the European Union, Downing Street said on Saturday.
The “high-level talks”, agreed during Prime Minister Theresa May’s visit to the White House on Friday, risk antagonising EU leaders, who have warned London cannot start negotiations with other countries until it exits the bloc.
The bilateral talks, which also include setting up joint working groups, are aimed at laying the groundwork for a new deal that can be signed as soon as possible after Brexit.
“The first step towards achieving this will be a new Trade Negotiation Agreement (TNA) which will see high-level talks between the two nations beginning immediately,” a Downing Street spokesman said.
The agreement came in a working lunch with Trump in Washington, where May became the first foreign leader to meet the new US president following his inauguration.
May was keen to secure an early committment to the UK-US “special relationship” from Trump, who
The first step towards achieving this will be a new Trade Negotiation Agreement which will see high-level talks between the two nations beginning immediately Downing Street spokesman
has alarmed America’s allies with his criticism of Nato and the EU.
She has promised to be “frank” with the president, but drew criticism at home when, during a trip to Turkey on Saturday, she refused to condemn Trump’s refugee policy.
Asked three times at a press conference about the executive order suspending refugee arrivals, May replied: “The United States is responsible for the United States’ policy on refugees.”
She flew back home into a deepening diplomatic storm after it emerged her own MP Nadhim Zahawi would be barred under the clampdown having being born in Iraq, despite holding a British passport, raising calls for her to speak on behalf of affected British citizens.
Germany and France have expressed concern about the policy, while the United Nations said it hoped it was only temporary. Securing the promise of early trade talks was a key goal for the Washington trip, amid concerns at home of the economic impact of withdrawing from Europe’s single market. Downing Street said Trump had pledged to ensure that the trade agreements Britain currently has with the US through its EU membership would continue after it leaves.
“This is the first step leading to a future trade deal with the US which could provide huge benefits to our economic muscle and will give businesses additional certainty and confidence,” May said.
The talks will also look at removing non-tariff barriers blocking British exports of food and agriculture to the United States, and the mutual recognition of professional qualifications to make it easier for people in both countries to do business.
Bilateral trade is currently worth more than £150 billion ($188 billion, €176 billion) and the United States is the single biggest source of inward investment in Britain.
May has promised to start the two-year process of leaving the EU by the end of March, but her government has already had informal trade discussions with India, Australia and New Zealand. — AFP