LONDON: Brexit negotiator David Davis on Sunday dismissed a report that Britain was prepared to pay a £40 billion ($54 billion) divorce bill on leaving the EU.
The Times quoted a “Brussels source” in their story on Saturday, but Davis told BBC television that “they sort of made that up.”
“I’m not going to do an actual number on air, it would be ridiculous to do that, but we have a fairly clear idea where we’re going on this,” he said.
He called EU claims for Britain to contribute to the bloc’s future pension pot as “debatable to say the least.”
“The last time we went through line by line and challenged quite a lot of the legal basis of these things and we’ll continue to do that.”
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday revealed plans for a transition period of around two years after the country officially leaves in 2019, during which time Britain would still largely be under current EU rules.
Davis stressed that Britain “would not under any circumstances” accept the supremacy of the European Court of Justice after the transition period, a key issue for Brexit hard-liners.
He added that it was “quite likely” that a joint system of EU-UK courts will be agreed in order to resolve disputes.
May’s Cabinet is divided over certain key issues of Brexit, particularly on what terms Britain wishes to access the EU’s single market after it has left.
The pro-EU faction of her government, led by finance minister Philip Hammond, want close ties with the bloc, while Brexit campaigner and Foreign Minister Boris Johnson is pushing for a cleaner break.
Johnson heightened tensions last week with a newspaper article spelling out his vision, and the latest edition of the Sunday Telegraph reported he had set down further demands.
He said Britain should not adopt any new EU rules made during the transition period and wants London to be able to sign trade deals with countries outside the EU during the two-year period, according to the paper.
Davis denied Johnson’s article had changed the content of May’s speech, saying the “policy in the prime minister’s speech had been coming for a long time.
“I don’t think there’s been any change of policy in the last few weeks.”
Davis will head to Brussels on Monday to relaunch Brexit negotiations with the EU.
A new book “Fall Out: A Year of Political Mayhem,” serialized in the Sunday Times, revealed that Davis, Johnson and Hammond were involved in discussions about possibly replacing May as leader following her disastrous election campaign, which saw her lose her parliamentary majority.
According to the book, Hammond texted Johnson as the results came through in the June snap vote, suggesting that he was prepared to back the foreign secretary if he ran for the leadership.
The plan was apparently shelved after May made it clear she was not going to stand down and Davis indicated he would not defer to Johnson in Brexit negotiations.
— AFP
UK negotiator dismisses reports of $54bn Brexit bill
UK negotiator dismisses reports of $54bn Brexit bill
Saudi Arabia opens 3rd round of Exploration Empowerment Program
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment, has opened applications for the third round of the Exploration Empowerment Program, part of ongoing efforts to accelerate mineral exploration in the Kingdom, reduce early-stage investment risks, and attract high-quality investment from local and international mining companies.
The third round of the Exploration Empowerment Program offers a comprehensive support package targeting exploration companies and mineral prospecting license holders.
The initiative aims to lower investment risks for projects and support a faster transition from prospecting to development.
"The program provides coverage of up to 70 percent of the total salaries of Saudi technical staff, such as geologists, during the first two years, increasing to 100 percent thereafter, in line with program requirements.
This support aims to develop talent, build national capabilities in mineral exploration, promote job localization, and facilitate the transfer of geological knowledge.
The application for the third round opened on Jan. 14, allowing participants to benefit from the Kingdom’s attractive investment environment, its stable legal framework, and streamlined regulatory structures, as well as integrated infrastructure that supports the transition from mineral resources to operational mines.
The ministry has set the timeline for the third round, with the application period running from Jan. 14 to March 31.
This will be followed by the evaluation, approval, and signing of agreements from April 1 to May 31, with the eligible projects set to be announced between June 1 and July 31 of the same year.
The program stages include submitting exploration data during the reimbursement and payment phase from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, followed by technical and financial verification of work programs and approval of the disbursement of support funds in January 2027.
The exploration data will then be published on the National Geological Database in April 2027.
The ministry emphasized that the EEP focuses on supporting the exploration of strategically important minerals with national priority. It also contributes to enhancing geological knowledge by providing up-to-date data that meets international standards, helping investors make informed decisions and supporting the growth of national companies and local supply chains.
The ministry urged companies to apply early to benefit from the program’s third round, which coincided with the fifth edition of the International Mining Conference, which was held from Jan. 13 to 15.
