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Portuguese top diplomat admits draft Brexit deal 'not perfect'

According to the diplomat, "any deal is better than no deal"

MADRID, November 23. /TASS/. The Portuguese government admits that the text of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union is not perfect, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said in an interview with TASS ahead of his meeting with the Russian top diplomat in Lisbon, scheduled for November 24.

"Portugal always stressed the importance of a balanced and fair Brexit deal, both for the UK ad for the EU," he stressed. "The draft of that Agreement contains provisions regarding the areas of our main concern, namely the rights of citizens, geographical indications, financial arrangements, governance, etc."

BREXIT

"It is not a perfect text, but it is a good text - negotiated under an extremely difficult context - and, most of all, it is infinitely better than no text at all," the top diplomat emphasized. According to him, "any deal is better than no deal and, after all, the UK has always been vocal by saying that they’re willing to leave the EU but they will not leave Europe."

On November 14, the UK cabinet of ministers approved a draft withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU, which is yet to be approved at the EU summit along with the political declaration. In order for the agreement to enter into force, the deal needs to be approved by both the European Parliament and UK lawmakers.

Official talks between London and Brussels on the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU started in the Belgian capital on June 19, 2017. A year earlier, 51.9% of British voters opted for leaving the EU. Formally, Brexit will kick off on March 29, 2019, followed by a transition period that should end on 31 December 2020.

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