By Chathushka Perera
London, UK (CWBN)_ Unnamed sources within the Ministry of Defence have informed Reuters that Royal Navy is prepared to guard British waters with a “package of 14,000 personnel” for a ”range of scenarios” following the deadline on the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union.
BBC also reported that four vessels have been assigned to patrol the respective territories. The developments come at a critical juncture in Brexit trade deal negotiations where both parties have openly declared the near certainty of a “no-deal”.
Nonetheless the ministry’s announcement is a serious push back against the EU’s insistence on fishing rights in British waters, particularly in the case of French fishermen who have relied on access during the course of the UK’s membership with the bloc.
Following an in-person meeting between PM Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels, on Wednesday (9th Dec), it was decided that the deadline would be extended till Sunday (13th Dec).
Hence, countering the gloomy outlook for bilateral relations, negotiations are still underway, but Johnson said on Wednesday that the EU would have to change their minds regarding the key issues that have left negotiations at loggerheads for too long.
The key issues concern the maintenance of a fair and competitive market, regulation of the trade deal, and as mentioned above, fishing rights.
Nonetheless, as previously reported, the concerns raised by the British government over the fishing rights appears largely sentimental, risking the significantly larger economic contributions to the national GDP by the local financial sector and its workforce.
