BRUSSELS: The British ambassador to the European Union arrived at the bloc’s headquarters Wednesday ahead of the formal handover of a historic letter announcing Britain’s intention to leave.
Tim Barrow, wearing a waistcoat and dark suit and carrying a leather briefcase, left Britain’s EU embassy in Brussels and stepped into a dark Jaguar car, AFP reporters said.
Minutes later he arrived at the Europa building less than a quarter of a mile (300 meters) away where he is due to deliver by hand the letter to EU President Donald Tusk at around 1120 GMT.
“Good morning,” the bearded diplomat, who took up the post in January after his predecessor Ivan Rogers resigned, said to waiting reporters.
Barrow will first take part in a scheduled meeting with ambassadors from the other 27 European Union nations before the meeting with Tusk.
“At 13:20 today, UK #Brexit notification letter (article 50) will be handed to me by Ambassador Tim Barrow,” Tusk said.
British Prime Minister Theresa May signed the letter on Tuesday, a photo released by her office showed.
Officials declined to say how the letter was being conveyed to Brussels, citing security reasons.
May is due to formally announce that she has triggered the Brexit process to parliament at 1130 GMT.
“We are one great union of people and nations with a proud history and a bright future. And, now that the decision has been made to leave the EU, it is time to come together,” she will say, according to the speech published in advance by Downing Street.
British envoy readies to hand over Brexit letter
British envoy readies to hand over Brexit letter
North Korea says it respects Iran’s choice of new supreme leader: KCNA
- North Korea, a longstanding US adversary, has previously condemned the US-Israeli attack on Iran an “illegal act of aggression”
- Defying US President Donald Trump’s desire to have a say in who runs Iran, the Islamic republic on Sunday named Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father, longtime ruler Ali Khamenei, who died in an Israeli airstrike on February 28
SEOUL: North Korea respects Iran’s choice of new supreme leader, state media reported Wednesday, as it accused the United States and Israel of destroying regional peace.
“With regard to the recent official announcement that Iran’s Assembly of Experts elected the new leader of the Islamic Revolution, we respect the rights and choice of the Iranian people to elect their supreme leader,” an unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying by state news agency KCNA.
Defying US President Donald Trump’s desire to have a say in who runs Iran, the Islamic republic on Sunday named Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father, longtime ruler Ali Khamenei, who died in an Israeli airstrike on February 28.
North Korea, a longstanding US adversary, has previously condemned the US-Israeli attack on Iran an “illegal act of aggression.”
On Wednesday, the North Korean spokesperson reiterated that position, saying that the United States and Israel “are destroying the regional peace and security foundations and escalating instability worldwide.”
“Any rhetorical threats and military action, which violate the political system and territorial integrity of the relevant country, interfere in its internal affairs and openly advocate the attempt to overthrow its social system, deserve worldwide criticism and rejection as they can never be tolerated,” the spokesperson added.
In recent months, the Trump administration has mounted a push to revive high-level talks with Pyongyang, eyeing a potential summit between the US president and the North’s Kim Jong Un this year.
After largely ignoring those overtures for months, Kim recently said that the two nations could “get along” if Washington accepted Pyongyang’s nuclear status.
