Macron puts on De Gaulle boots and visits UK in a symbolic anniversary

Thursday, June 18th 2020 - 12:40 UTC

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French President Emmanuel Macron travels to Britain this Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a hugely symbolic visit and his first foreign trip since the coronavirus pandemic began. Read full article

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Pontefractious
May be the first sign that the unified position on negotiations with the Brits is beginning to crumble. Can anyone doubt that the only real item on the agenda is going to be fishing rights and that Macron is going to ask - “what will it take ?” He will probably get nothing official - Bojo is giving nothing away at this stage - but he will get an informal message to take to Brussels about getting real and negotiating instead of letting this thing go by because of an unwillingness to bend on principles.
Jun 18th, 2020 - 02:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Pugol-H
French officials are saying that Brexit is only dealt with by Barnier & Co and it is not on the agenda.

However Brexit related matters will almost certainly be mentioned, if only in passing.

Macron is one of the hardliners on Brexit in the EU, he will not go off script.

At this stage the EU are preparing for “intense negotiations” around Sept/Oct, the UK saying July, Aug at the very latest. Smart money on the UK timeframe, as Boris has said no point in continuing beyond the summer.

The EU will probably not make any meaningful concessions until it is actually too late, then the recriminations will begin.

Even where Barnier has accepted the EU position on fisheries is un-realistic, he has been sent back to the table with the same demands. That is not going to change, the EU parliament has just adopted a resolution (overwhelmingly) they will not pass any deal that does not have everything they want.

This is before you get to Greece and the Elgin Marbles or Spain with Gibraltar.

In the EU states are used to holding up internal deals (like budgets) until they get what (or at least some of what) they want, which can’t work here because of timescales, but that won’t stop them trying.

Even if a deal can be reached with Barnier & Co (which won’t happen with a new mandate for him (unlikely)), it is most unlikely it will pass through the rest of the EU institutions and 27 members, without some or other demand for further major concessions. Individually they will never have such leverage again.
Jun 18th, 2020 - 04:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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