Prime Minister Joseph Muscat today had a telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a government statement read.
The call focused on the Brexit process and also on bilateral and Commonwealth relations.
Prime Minister Muscat reiterted that while Malta’s preference is for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union with a deal, Malta is fully aligned with the unified European Union position.
With the Brexit date looming closer, the possibility of a no deal Brexit becomes stronger and stronger.
Johnson has told European Union officials it won’t be possible to stop Britain’s departure from the trading bloc without the removal of controversial language about a “backstop” to avoid the return of a border between EU member Ireland and Britain’s Northern Ireland. He said at the close of the G-7 summit in Biarritz, France, Monday that he was “marginally more optimistic,” of progress, the Associated Press reports.
“But, remember that all statistical estimates that I give about the chances of a deal -whether they are expressed in odds of millions to one, or getting closer, or hotter or colder, or whatever – they all depend exclusively on the willingness of our friends and partners to compromise on that crucial point and to get rid of the backstop and the current withdrawal agreement,” he said.
Johnson last week tried to persuade the leaders of Germany and France to support his vision. They have responded by challenging Johnson to show he can come up with a better alternative, putting the onus on him to come up with the ideas.
