15 October 2018•Update: 16 October 2018
By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal
LONDON
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday said the disagreements between the U.K. and the European Union should not let their disagreements leave the two sides with a no-deal Brexit.
"I continue to believe that a negotiated deal is the best outcome for the U.K. and the European Union,” May said in the House of Commons as she gave an update on the Brexit negotiations.
"I continue to believe such a deal is achievable,” she said.
Noting that the two sides are entering the final stages of the negotiations, May said: “This is the time for cool, calm heads to prevail. And it is the time for a clear-eyed focus on the few remaining but critical issues that are still to be agreed.”
The issue of future of the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland still remains as one of the thorniest issues in negotiations as the sides are still to agree on a final solution to avoid a hard border.
May said the backstop -- a deal to keep Northern Ireland in the EU customs union and market for a period of time to ensure the border with Ireland remains as it is -- is an "insurance policy" for Northern Ireland and Ireland.
“I need to be able to look the British people in the eye and say this backstop is a temporary solution,” she said.
British PM underlined her country would not be “trapped permanently in a single customs territory unable to do meaningful trade deals.”
The U.K. and EU repeatedly said they would not allow a return to border in the region.
British premiere is expected to give a short presentation to EU leaders on Wednesday in Brussels.
An emergency Brexit EU summit is expected to be called in November in a bid from the sides to reach a final deal.
The U.K. will leave the EU on March 29, 2019.
