EU’s Tusk, Britain’s May seek smooth start to Brexit talks

LONDON / AP

European Council President Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister Theresa May met on Thursday to seek a smooth start to the U.K.’s EU departure, a day after the European Parliament laid out tough guidelines for the divorce negotiations.
The talks came as both sides are settling on their negotiating positions, and after some strong tabloid headlines in Britain about the bloc’s exit bill for Britain and the status of the British territory of Gibraltar.
The two politicians smiled on the doorstep of May’s 10 Downing St. office before a meeting in London that lasted two hours. Afterward, May’s office praised the “constructive approach” of the EU leadership and said “the tone of discussions had been positive on both sides.” Tusk said the pair had agreed to stay in regular contact throughout the Brexit process.
British voters in June chose to leave the 28-nation European Union and last week May triggered the mechanism that starts a two-year countdown on Britain’s departure.
The European Parliament on Wednesday backed the bloc’s chief negotiator in demanding that Britain pay as much as 60 billion euros ($64 billion) for outstanding commitments.