Davis: Brexit is not a divorce

RIGA - The UK’s exiting from the EU is not a "divorce", it is a start of new relations, said David Davis, the British Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, after his meeting with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics (Unity) on Tuesday.

The Latvian foreign minister said that both ministers continued their bilateral talks that were started in early February in London. Rinkevics said that Latvia is interested in the talks on Brexit between Latvia and the UK to be held in a constructive and rational way.

Rinkevics said that all 27 EU member states share their position in relation to Brexit, but also Latvia’s special interests are clear – the status of Latvian nationals living in the UK should remain as it is present. Rinkevics praised the current constructive atmosphere between the two countries.

Davis also noted that the discussion between both ministers had been positive.

Davis said that Brexit is not a "divorce", but a start of a new and modern relationship. He said that the UK wants to be for its neighbor – the EU – to be strong, successful and efficient.

Commenting of the UK’s interest, Davis said that the UK wants to achieve the most favorable free trade agreement. Speaking about EU citizens in the UK, including Latvian citizens, the minister said that the country wants to achieve the best, most civilized and responsible solution in this respect.

Asked about the recent discussions of the British government by The Times daily to divert part of its aid to the Asian and African countries to Central and Eastern Europe, including the Baltic states, in a bid to get a better Brexit deal, Davis said that he had not been informed about this publication, but he said that such a discussion has not been launched in the government.