The sports category has moved to a new website.
ADVERTISEMENT

Language at UK talks not decided says EU's 'Monsieur Brexit'

The European Commission's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said Friday that the official language of talks with Britain had yet to be decided, denying reports he had insisted they be in his native French.

A man waves both a Union flag and a European flag outside the Houses of Parliament at an anti-Brexit protest in central London on June 28, 2016shortly after the referendum ended with a British vote to leave the EU

"Never expressed myself on negotiation language," Barnier, a former French agriculture minister and France's one-time European Commissioner, said on Twitter.

"Work as often in EN (English) as FR (French). Linguistic regime to be set at start -- to be agreed btw (between) negotiators."

Asked whether the negotiations would be in French, British Prime Minister Theresa May told a news conference after a summit in Brussels: "We will conduct the negotiations in the way that will ensure we get the right deal for the UK."

A British official told AFP they were not aware of any such request by Barnier, who took up his post at the start of October.

ADVERTISEMENT

Barnier's appointment by Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker in July was dubbed a "declaration of war" by British media while he remains loathed in the City of London for taking on the banking sector while he was financial services commissioner.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there would be nothing unusual in European officials being allowed to use their mother tongue during talks.

"If I am well informed, everybody here is allowed to speak his language. And since Mr Barnier is a French citizen, it's not unnatural that he speaks French, the way I speak German," she said.

Barnier, Brussels and London have all previously played down talk of bad blood over his time as commissioner and he insists he can reach a "win-win agreement" for Brexit.

"I was called the most dangerous man in Europe, and (yet) finally we succeeded to build a clever global financial regulation agenda, with the UK on board," Barnier said in September.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: news@pulselive.co.ke

Recommended articles

Marianne Kitany tactfully speaks on whether Ruto should fire her ex, CS Linturi

Marianne Kitany tactfully speaks on whether Ruto should fire her ex, CS Linturi

Gov't & opposition officials clash at Rita Tinina's burial ceremony

Gov't & opposition officials clash at Rita Tinina's burial ceremony

CS Murkomen unveils new number plates for cars that will get preferential treatment

CS Murkomen unveils new number plates for cars that will get preferential treatment

Moi University students escape through windows after road crash

Moi University students escape through windows after road crash

57,000 civil servants to have their rent reviewed upwards

57,000 civil servants to have their rent reviewed upwards

Interesting story of U.S. Army Specialist Wambui who comes from a military family

Interesting story of U.S. Army Specialist Wambui who comes from a military family

Heroic GSU officer dies after jumping out of a taxi along Thika Super Highway

Heroic GSU officer dies after jumping out of a taxi along Thika Super Highway

DJ Joe Mfalme detained for 14 more days

DJ Joe Mfalme detained for 14 more days

Explosive blows up hotel next to police station, deaths reported

Explosive blows up hotel next to police station, deaths reported

ADVERTISEMENT