资料：Seeking to end a stalemate in negotiations over her country’s withdrawal from the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain offered Friday substantial payments to the bloc during a two-year transition period immediately after the country’s exit.
Mrs. May’s long-awaited intervention, during a speech in Florence, Italy, was being watched closely in capitals on the Continent and in London, where members of her cabinet have been fiercely divided over Britain’s tortuous divorce from the bloc. The speech aimed to open the way to serious negotiations on what is commonly known as Brexit, and to a broader and more productive discussion about Britain’s relationship with the bloc.
However, while offering some concessions designed to do that, Mrs. May did not give any fresh insight into the type of ties she ultimately wants Britain to have to the bloc-a question that divides her cabinet and her Conservative, or Tory, Party.
The European Union’s chief negotiators, Michel Barnier, issued a cautious response, saying in a statement that, “We look forward to the United Kingdom’s negotiators explaining the concrete implications of Prime Minister Theresa May’s speech. Our ambition is to find a rapid agreement on the conditions of the United Kingdom’s orderly withdrawal, as well as on a possible transition period.”
Although Britain is scheduled to exit the European Union in 2019, there has been little progress in talks since March, when London formally announced its intention to leave. Brussels is insisting that Britain agree to the terms of the divorce before discussing future trade ties, while the British would like to do both simultaneously.
In light of the continuing standoff, many business worry about a “cliff edge” scenario, in which Britain would crash out without a deal, so Mrs. May is under pressure to find a way out of the impasses. Speaking in Florence on Friday, Mrs. May did not say precisely how much money Britain would continue to contribute to the European Union. But she made a significant promise that the British-who are big net contributors to the bloc-would not leave a hole in the union’s budget in 2019 and 2020.
“I do not want our partners to fear that they will need to pay more or receive less over the remainder of the current budget plan as a result of our decision to leave.” Mrs. May said. That would probably mean payments of around 20 billion euros, or about $24 billion, after Britain’s departure. It would also effectively maintain the state quo for the duration of a two-year transition period, meaning that Britain would allow the free movement of European workers and accept rulings from the European Court of Justice. This alone is unlikely to be enough to satisfy the 27 other member nations, but Mrs. May hinted that she would be willing to go further and “honor commitments we have made during the period of our membership.”
In addition, Mrs. May proposed a security partnership with the European Union, stressing Britain’s importance as a defense power, and also offered new legal safeguards to guarantee the rights of European Union citizens in Britain after Brexit.
Over all, Mrs. May sought to stress the common interest London shares with continental European capitals in reaching an agreement and avoiding disruption to trade, wrapping her odder in dialogue that was more positive, and less antagonistic, than that of some previous interventions.
European Union negotiators have refused to talk about post-Brexit ties until they judge that there is “sufficient progress” on the issues they consider a priority. the states of European Union citizens in Britain after it leaves, the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland(which is a part of the United Kingdom)and Britain’s financial commitments to the bloc.
There is little sign yet that the other 27 nations are prepared to grant Britain a bespoke agreement, and officials have warned London on numerous occasions that there would be no “cherry picking” of the parts of European Union membership it likes.
What’s the purpose of May’s speech?(
A.To demonstrate her resolve to divorce Britain from EU.
B.To pave the way for dialogues and negotiations with EU on Brexit.
C.To comfort the sentiment of British people.
D.To end the division between her cabinet and the Conservative Party.
