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Donald Tusk receives 'promising signals' from Irish PM

11 October 2019 15:38 (UTC +04:00)

European Council President Donald Tusk has said he received "promising signals" from Irish PM Leo Varadkar that a Brexit deal is still possible, APA reports citing BBC.

His comments came as Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier resumed talks.

Afterwards, Mr Barnier likened Brexit to "climbing a mountain".

The UK is due to leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on 31 October, with a crunch EU summit scheduled to take place on 17 and 18 October.

This is seen as the last chance for the UK and the EU to agree a deal ahead of the Brexit deadline.

Following his "technical" discussion with Mr Barclay in Brussels, Mr Barnier told reporters: "Be patient."

He added: "Brexit is like climbing a mountain. We need vigilance, determination and patience."

BBC Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming said he suspected the best outcome for the UK that could emerge from the Barclay-Barnier meeting would be the EU agreeing to restart fuller and "more intense" negotiations.

Earlier this week, several senior EU figures played down the chances of Brexit happening with a deal agreed to by both sides.

But on Thursday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Mr Varadkar held a one-to-one discussion - described by both as "very positive and very promising" - at Thornton Manor, Merseyside.

Mr Varadkar told reporters talks were at a "very sensitive stage" but he was now "convinced" the UK wanted a deal, adding: "I do see a pathway towards an agreement in the coming weeks."

But he refused to be drawn on what "concessions" had been made by either side during his meeting with Mr Johnson, while Downing Street has not commented on Irish press reports suggesting "significant movement" on the UK prime minister's part.

Speaking on a visit to Cyprus, Mr Tusk said the UK had not "come forward with a workable, realistic proposal", but added he had received "promising signals" from Mr Varadkar that a deal was still possible.

"Of course there is no guarantee of success and time is practically up but even the slightest chance must be used," he added. "A no-deal Brexit will never be the choice of the EU."

"No one's cracking open the champagne… don't even pour a pint of warm Guinness," joked one of the few people familiar with what actually happened on Thursday after talks between Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar.

Nothing that happened in the privacy of a country house wedding venue on the Wirral means there will be a deal with the EU in the next seven days.

Nothing has made the obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement magically disappear.

But something has changed.

After days of various EU players publicly scorning the UK's proposals, explaining the objections and lamenting the weaknesses, there is a tangible willingness, on the bloc's side at least, to see seriously if they can work.

We've discussed here so many times why Ireland's attitude matters so much, so the very public positivity from Mr Varadkar - his "maybe", instead of "no" to Mr Johnson's proposals - is extremely important.