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EU legislators tell UK on Brexit: no parallel talks
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British Union flag waves in front of the Elizabeth Tower at Houses of Parliament containing the bell know as "Big Ben" in central London, Wednesday. (AP/Matt Dunham)
E
uropean Union lawmakers on Wednesday passed a resolution calling for phased negotiations in divorce proceedings with Britain, going against the wishes of London, which would like exit talks and discussions of a future trade arrangement to happen in parallel.
The lawmakers voted 516-133 for the resolution, with 50 abstentions, highlighting the tough task ahead for British Prime Minister Theresa May as she enters two years of negotiations with 27 EU nations.
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier called parallel talks on Britain's exit from the EU and a future trade relationship "a very risky approach" that he is bent on avoiding.
Barnier told EU legislators in Strasbourg, France, that "to succeed, we need on the contrary to devote the first phase of negotiations exclusively to reaching agreement on the principle of the exit."
May last week sought hand-in-hand negotiations on exit and a future relationship, while the EU Council president and EU top legislators argued against it.
The Brexit talks are expected to start in late May once the negotiating guidelines of the 27 member nations have been sealed in a mandate for Barnier.
