UK aims for early citizens' rights settlement with EU

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) – The U.K. is looking forward to reaching an agreement on citizens’ rights at an early stage of the Brexit negotiations with the EU, Prime Minister Theresa May reiterated Tuesday.

May said in a meeting at the government offices in London with the EU term President, Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas, that “we are leaving the EU but we are not leaving Europe and we are determined to maintain close friendships with our allies like Estonia”.

Welcoming Estonia’s take over of the EU Presidency, May confirmed the "U.K. would work to support their agenda, including on digital initiatives, cyber security, tackling online extremism and addressing the migration crisis in the Mediterranean," a government statement said.

“The prime minister provided an update on the constructive beginning to Brexit negotiations and confirmed that we look forward to reaching an agreement on citizens’ rights at the earliest possible stage,” it said.

The second round of Brexit negotiations started this week in Brussels and citizens’ rights is one of the key issues to be discussed between the delegations.

The U.K. previously offered the EU a deal that would make possible EU citizens who have lived in the country to benefit from all rights enjoyed by British citizens.

May and her Estonian counterpart Ratas also discussed other issues, including NATO and defense relationship in the Baltics region.

Both leaders also “agreed on the importance of maintaining the Ukraine sanctions until the Minsk Accord is implemented in full”.