|
BRUSSELS, July 20-- The European Union (EU) and Britain failed to bridge their differences on key Brexit issues, including financial settlements, jurisdiction of overseas citizens and the Northern Irish border, as the second round of negotiations concluded here on Thursday. During talks, the 27 EU members put on a united front against a more seemingly divided British cabinet, led by Prime Minister Theresa May, who is currently under fire in her Conservative party and among the wider British public. In a press conference, British Brexit Secretary David Davis and his EU counterpart Michel Barnier chose their words carefully in gauging their divergences. When it came to financial settlements, Barnier underlined EU's stand with a tough tone. "We want -- and we are working towards -- an orderly exit of the United Kingdom. And an orderly exit requires the payment of the accounts," said Barnier. Davis, for his part, sidestepped a direct response to Barnier, and instead emphasized the obligations of both sides. Hailing the talks as "robust" and "constructive," Davis said the two sides recognized the importance of sorting out the obligations that Britain and EU have to one another. "Ultimately getting to a solution will require flexibility from both sides," he said. Addressing the issue of EU citizens' rights in Britain, Barnier said: "We are now moving in a common direction. But there remains a fundamental divergence on how to guarantee these rights, and on several other points, such as the rights of future members of the family or the export of certain social benefits." | 
