BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Britain and the European Union (EU) have struck an upbeat tone after the first round of the Brexit negotiations held Monday, as the two sides set a preliminary timetable and the structure of the negotiations ahead. However, uncertainty still lingers due to the divergences between the two and a pressing deadline.
THREE PRIORITIES TO NEGOTIATE FOR ORDERLY WITHDRAWAL
After Monday's seven-hour session, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier described the meeting as "useful to start off on the right foot as the clock is ticking."
"A fair deal is possible and far better than no deal," Barnier said at a press conference on Monday.
Similarly, Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the EU David Davis said he was "encouraged by the constructive approach that both sides have taken."
The two sides agreed to focus first on three top priorities: the issue of EU citizens' rights in Britain, border agreements between Britain and Ireland, and how much Britain will pay to unravel its membership of the 28-nation bloc after 44 years.
Every month, the two sides will hold a negotiation lasting one week, during which negotiating groups report back their respective principles. They will use the time in between to work on proposals and exchange them.
Barnier also outlined a two-step negotiation timetable to ensure an orderly withdrawal for Britain, which put the future EU-Britain relations, particularly trade ties, in the second phase.
In the first step, the two sides will deal with "the most pressing issues" in order to "lift the uncertainty caused by Brexit," including "citizen rights, the single financial settlement, and other separation issues."
In the second step, "we will scope our future partnership. We also agree on how we structure our tools," Barnier said.
DIVERGENCES TO TIGHTEN DEADLINE FOR BREXIT
However, Britain rejected the two-stage negotiating arrangement, insisting that the talks on trade relations should take place "in parallel." It still remains to be seen whether future Brexit negotiations would be conducted according to the preliminary timetable.
Regarding the future relationship with the EU, Davis said Britain has not changed its position, reiterating that Britain will leave the single market and the customs union, which is "the only way" to allow Britain to develop free trade agreements with non-EU countries.
The first negotiating session came three months after British Prime Minister Theresa May triggered a two-year countdown to Britain's withdrawal from the EU on March 29.
The Brexit talks were finally launched at the European Commission's headquarters in Brussels nearly one year after Britain's June 23, 2016 referendum to leave the bloc.
That means March 29, 2019 might be a tight deadline for the two sides to wrap up the withdrawal, as all Brexit negotiations will have to be concluded by October 2018 to secure a smooth transition at the point of leaving.
Adding to the complexity is Britain's current political situation, as May lost her Conservative majority in parliament after a snap election, sparking wide criticism of her leadership and worries about how long May and her cabinet would stay in power.
Yet Davis stressed that Britain would deliver certainty "as soon as possible" to EU citizens living in Britain and to British citizens in the EU, a common ground between the two sides.
He said May will publish a detailed paper outlining Britain's approach on protecting citizen rights at the EU summit on Thursday and Friday, which he believes "will form the right basis on which to reach agreement."
