UK Brexit minister: we want Latvians to keep all rights they have today

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David Davis, the UK government minister in charge of his country's exit from the European Union -- the so-called 'Brexit' process -- said in Riga January 21 he hoped Latvians living in the UK would continue to enjoy all the rights they have now even after the process is completed.

Fresh from talks in Tallinn a day earlier and speaking after talks with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics Tuesday morning, Davis said Brexit was "not a divorce not a divorce, it's a new relationship... it's very modern in that respect."

Outlining what future he saw for the thousands of Latvians who have made their homes in the UK since Latvia's accession to the EU in 2004, Davis said he hoped little would change.

"We want to see Latvian citizens in the UK have all the rights they have now continuing into the future. That's not just residents' rights, that's public services, healthcare, all the normal rights we would give our own citizens," Davis said.

He also brushed aside a report in the London Times from February 19 that the UK was planning to divert some of its development funds earmarked for Africa and Asia towards Eastern Europe in order to get countries like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania onside during the Brexit negotiation process, which is expected to take two years.  

Davis expressed hopes two years would be sufficient to sign a trade deal as the UK and EU were "starting from the same place".

Rinkevics confirmed that no sweeteners had been offered and underlined that Latvia's position would be identical to that of all other EU member states, but that negotiations should not be allowed to turn into something "punishing" the UK for walking out on its former partners.

"It is in our interests to ensure that the negotiations between the EU and UK are as constructive as possible, as emotion-free as possible. We will negotiate according to the solidarity of the 27 EU member states which means there will be a common position," Rinkevics said.

If you would like to watch the whole press conference you can do so below.

 

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