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Informal Meeting in Austria: EU Heads Discuss May's Brexit Proposal (VIDEO)

© AP Photo / Olivier MatthysCzech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis arrives for an EU summit at the Europa building in Brussels, Thursday, June 28, 2018
Czech Republic's Prime Minister Andrej Babis arrives for an EU summit at the Europa building in Brussels, Thursday, June 28, 2018 - Sputnik International
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An informal meeting of the EU heads of state and government, devoted to Brexit as well as issues such as internal security and migration, is being held in the Austrian city of Salzburg, which started on Wednesday and is due to conclude later in the day.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, European Council President Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker held a press conference in Salzburg as the EU heads of state and heads of government reached its end on Thursday, September 20.

During the meeting, Tusk stated that EU will not compromise on single market. Moreover, he expressed scepticism with regards to Chequers plan.

"While there are positive elements in the Chequers proposal, the suggested framework for economic cooperation will not work," Tusk said.

In her turn, UK Prime Minister Theresa May said that her Brexit proposal was "the only serious proposal on the table" and there was no counter proposal at the moment that would deliver on what the state needs to do.

READ MORE: Macron Calls May's Brexit Proposals 'Not Acceptable'

May also stressed that she was negotiating hard for the UK people and that the state was preparing for no deal Brexit. She emphasized that Brexit will happen and the UK will leave in 2019.

Speaking about Brexit during the meeting in Austria, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said that the EU must avoid a hectic process of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the bloc.

READ MORE: Secret Memo to Oust UK's May Leaks as PM Struggles to Sell Her Brexit Plan to EU

The Lithuanian head noted that it was important to agree on all most contentious issues in the divorce talks in order to "ensure smooth negotiations and mutually beneficial outcome."

In addition, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz expressed hope that a Brexit deal will see a more realistic scenario than the absence of a deal.

"I think there is no point discussing the no deal scenario at the moment. I hope reaching a deal is a more realistic scenario," Kurz said.

The Austrian chancellor stressed that the negotiators should not aim for a no deal Brexit, and a hard Brexit should be avoided. At the same time, Kurz added that the European Union was ready for all scenarios.

(L to R) Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa pose during a southern European Union nations meeting in Rome, Italy January 10, 2018 - Sputnik International
EU Leaders 'Almost Unanimously' Support Second Brexit Referendum - Maltese PM
On Wednesday, Theresa May called on the EU to take a more impartial stance in the Brexit talks, following Barnier’s criticism of London’s recent initiatives related to its looming withdrawal from the bloc, and described some of the bloc’s demands as being "at odds with the reality."

On September 10, EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said that London and Brussels could finalize their agreements on Brexit in late October or the beginning of November. The UK and the EU have to address three important issues, which will enable the smooth Brexit process with respect for the two parties' interests, including to finalize a treaty on the UK departure from the European Union, resolve the issue of the Irish border and decide on the format of future relations.

 

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