The Latest: Germany awaits ‘clear’ Brexit proposals from UK

LONDON — The Latest on Brexit (all times local):

10:20 a.m.

Germany’s foreign minister says he would like Britain’s exit from the European Union to be as orderly as possible but that requires London to make clear proposals.

Heiko Maas noted in Berlin that the British Parliament has decided it wants to prevent a “no-deal” Brexit.

He added that “we remain in principle ready to talk, and we have to be in order to make possible as orderly a withdrawal as possible, but that ultimately requires clear decisions and proposals from London.”

Maas reiterated that Britain will remain an “important strategic partner” with “extraordinarily close relations” to Germany after Brexit. But he didn’t address the possibility of a delay to Britain’s withdrawal beyond the current Oct. 31 deadline, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s opponents want to force.

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10:05 a.m.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told Ireland’s leader that a Brexit deal can be reached so Britain leaves the European Union by Oct. 31.

Johnson told Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar that he believes a deal on the Irish border question can be secured in time to enable a smooth British departure from the EU by the scheduled Brexit date.

He said a “no-deal” departure from the European Union would represent a “failure of statecraft.”

Varadkar also said at a joint appearance before the start of a meeting in Dublin that Britain has not produced any realistic alternatives to the controversial “backstop” agreement reached by Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May.

Opposition to the backstop was a key reason why Britain’s Parliament rejected May’s Brexit deal with the EU on three occasions earlier this year.

The backstop is intended to make sure that no hard border is put up between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.

The Irish leader says more negotiations are needed and that the Good Friday peace agreement, which states that no hard border is reimposed on the island of Ireland, must be respected.

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8:55 a.m.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet with Irish leader Leo Varadkar in search of a compromise on the simmering Brexit crisis.

The two are to meet in Dublin Monday morning for the first time since Johnson took power in July.

Varadkar has said he does not expect a breakthrough in the impasse over how the Irish border will be handled once Britain leaves the European Union.

Johnson plans to press a rebellious Parliament later Monday to back his plan for an early election, but opposition parties have said they will vote the measure down.

A new bill that seeks to force Johnson to seek a Brexit delay before the Oct. 31 deadline is set to become law on Monday.

Johnson has said he will not seek a delay.

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Follow AP’s full coverage of Brexit and British politics at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit

The Associated Press






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