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EU's Tusk presses Britain to start Brexit talks

Friday, 09 June 2017 6:31 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 09 June 2017 6:32 PM ]

President of the European Council Donald Tusk (Photo by AFP)

European Council President Donald Tusk has sent the British prime minister a letter congratulating Theresa May for her party’s win and reminding her about upcoming talks on Britain's exit from the European Union, known as the Brexit.

In the letter of congratulation on Friday, Tusk emphasized the urgency of the Brexit talks.

He said to May that "our shared responsibility and urgent task now is to conduct the negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the European Union."

"The timeframe set by Article 50 of the Treaty leaves us with no time to lose," he said.

May had called for the snap election on June 8, envisioning a landslide victory for the ruling Conservative Party, which was expected to strengthen her in the upcoming Brexit talks. Instead, she miscalculated the British citizens’ will, and this has diminished her authority.

The loss of seats in the parliamentary elections, down from 330 to 318, forced May to announce on Friday a planned minority government with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionists.

The dire results for May prompted politicians in the UK, across Europe, and beyond to question whether she would now deliver the promised Brexit on time.

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Labour Party was ready to form its own government and lead the Brexit talks.

Corbyn urged May to “go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country.”

“We are ready to undertake negotiations on behalf of this country, to protect jobs and have a sensible free trade arrangement with Europe,” he said.

The Brexit talks are due to start in ten days.

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Theresa May is the big loser in UK election

Earlier, Tusk had warned Britain against any delay in the talks.

He said if London failed to launch the Brexit negotiations according to the timeframe, there would be undesired consequences, such as abandoning the talks, or trade cuts with Britain.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (Photo by AFP)

"I do hope that the result of the elections will have no major impact on the negotiations we are desperately waiting for," said Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, resonating Tusk.

"As far as the Commission is concerned we can open negotiations tomorrow morning at half past nine," Juncker said.

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