Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-04-29

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Tsipras: Our priority is our citizens living in Britain

[02] EU leaders unanimously agree on the negotiating guidelines for Brexit

[01] Tsipras: Our priority is our citizens living in Britain

Our first priority in the next period is to work on the guidelines, he stressed and pointed out that the process will not be as easy as today's meeting. It will be a difficult process because the issues are complicated, he said adding that the most difficult part in divorces is always the one related to economic issues.

Our priority is our citizens living in Great Britain - over 70,000 Greeks - the smooth trade relations and the uninterrupted flow of tourists from Great Britain.

Brexit is an unpleasant development that is a result of the citizens' dissatisfaction with EU policies. The remaining 27 member states have to work for a better, more democratic and more social Europe, the Greek Prime Minister underlined.

[02] EU leaders unanimously agree on the negotiating guidelines for Brexit

"The guidelines were unanimously adopted. The EU27 firm and fair political mandate for the Brexit talks is ready," summit chair Donald Tusk said adding that it was the first time in the European Council's history that the leaders of the member states came to a unanimous agreement in the first four minutes of the meeting.

The president of the European Council stressed that before the launch of the negotiations on the future relations between EU and Britain, an agreement must be reached in order to safeguard the rights of the European citizens as well as to settle economic issues and the issue of the borders with northern Ireland. However, he estimated that it is still too early to tell when this agreement will be reached.

On his part, the president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker underlined the need for unity in this consultation. He stressed that "the terms of the divorce" should be first regulated, explaining that there will be two negotiations: one on the United Kingdom's terms of leaving the EU and one on its future relations with the EU.

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