BIARRITZ, France:British Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday said he and President DonaldTrump were "gung-ho" about a post-Brexit trade deal but cautioned theUnited States would be tough negotiators and that he would not rush talks.
Trump promised abig trade deal for Britain after it leaves the European Union, which he saidhad been a drag on Britain's ability to cut a good deal. Facing a delicate taskof assuaging European allies while not angering Trump at a G7 summit in France,Johnson said there were huge opportunities for British businesses in the USmarket, but hinted at differences between the two sides on the scope of a deal.
Moreover, headded, Washington would have to relax some "protectionist" policies."They want to do it within a year, I'd love to do it within a year, butthat's a very fast timetable," he told Sky News.
Earlier, beforethe two leaders began a trade-focused bilateral meeting, Trump said he waslooking forward to discussing big numbers with Johnson. "We're going to doa very big trade deal - bigger than we've ever had with the UK," Trumpsaid. "At some point, they won't have the obstacle of - they won't havethe anchor around their ankle, because that's what they had."
Brexituncertainty
With less thanthree months until an Oct. 31 deadline, it is still unclear, how, when or evenwhether Britain will leave the EU. The uncertainty around Brexit, the UnitedKingdom's most significant political and economic post-war move, has leftallies and investors aghast and roiled markets.
Britain has yetto agree any kind of exit deal to smooth the divorce between the world's fifthlargest economy and its biggest trading partner, raising fears of shortages andwidespread disruption. However, Johnson said meetings with German ChancellorAngela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron last week had helped hiscase for a better exit deal. There was a "dawning realization" inBrussels that Britain's objections to the existing deal were implacable.
"I thinkit's going to be touch and go but the important thing is to get ready to comeout without a deal," he told the BBC. Opponents fear Brexit will makeBritain poorer and divide the West as it grapples with both Trump's unconventionalpresidency.
Supportersacknowledge the divorce might bring short-term instability, but say in thelonger term it will allow the United Kingdom to thrive if cut free from whatthey cast as a doomed attempt to forge European unity. Johnson also metEuropean Council head Donald Tusk, who on Saturday said Johnson would go downas "Mr No-Deal" if he took Britain out of the EU without a withdrawalagreement.
A Britishofficial said Johnson told Tusk that Britain would be leaving the EU on Oct. 31whatever the circumstances. Sky News reported that Johnson would tell TuskBritain would only pay 9 billion pounds ($11 billion) instead of the 39 billionpound liability agreed by former prime minister Theresa May under a no-dealBrexit.
Asked about thereport, Johnson said: "If we come out without an agreement it is certainlytrue that the 39 billion is no longer, strictly speaking, owed."
Trade differences
Trump and Johnsonwere in the French seaside resort of Biarritz for a summit of G7 industrializednations where sharp differences have emerged over trade protectionism and anarray of issues including Iran and North Korea. On his arrival on Saturday,Johnson said of the escalating trade war that he was "very worried"about the growth of protectionism. Those who "supported tariffs riskedincurring the blame for the downturn in the global economy", he said.
Sitting oppositeTrump yesterday, Johnson praised the performance of the US economy beforeadding: "But just to register a faint, sheep-like note of our view on thetrade war - we are in favor of trade peace on the whole." London'spreference is for a comprehensive free trade deal with the United States postBrexit, UK government officials say, while some US officials including Trump's nationalsecurity adviser John Bolton have talked of a sector-by-sector approach. AsJohnson said London and Washington would do a "fantastic deal", Trumpinterrupted to say: "lots of fantastic mini-deals, we're talking aboutmany different deals but we're having a good time." - Reuters