Merkel ally welcomes EU Brexit offer, warns UK against dividing bloc | Reuters

BERLIN A transition period offered to Britain by the European Union in Brexit negotiating guidelines it issued on Friday is the only way to avoid the talks failing, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.In the guidelines, the EU offered Britain talks this year on a future free trade pact but made clear that London must first agree to the bloc's demands on the terms of Brexit.The document, seen by Reuters, sets tough conditions for any transition period, insisting Britain must accept many EU rules after any such partial withdrawal.Detlef Seif, the deputy EU spokesman for Merkel's conservative parliamentary bloc, said there were effectively only 15 months for the negotiations and this was insufficient time to wrap up Britain's exit from the bloc.

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