Joseph Muscat: ‘Some EU leaders think Brexit might not happen’

Some EU leaders still think Brexit will not happen, that Britain may not leave the European Union, Malta’s prime minister Joseph Muscat told foreign journalists as he arrived in Brussels on Thursday for a two-day summit of the European Council.

Muscat told Sky News’ political correspondent Faisal Islam that the council would not be discussing exit negotiations with Britain, since the country had not yet triggered Article 50 to set the process in motion.

He then told the BBC’s Katya Adler that ‘some EU leaders still think Brexit might not happen’.

#Malta PM just told me some #EU leaders still think #Brexit might not happen #EUsummit

— katya adler (@BBCkatyaadler) October 20, 2016

The EU leaders were expected to discuss migration, relations with Russia, the trade agreement with Canada, Brexit preparations and the conflict in Syria.

Following the working session on migration, Muscat told TVM in Brussels that there was still a large divide among the European countries and that the leaders had failed to agree on a programme of relocation of immigrants across the member states, an issue that was currently being strongly contested by Hungary and Slovakia.

He said the leaders had agreed on the need to start implementing the decisions agreed upon at the Valletta summit of November 2015.

“It is thanks to the assistance of friends like Italy and some other countries that Malta can now manage the issue of immigration,” Muscat said.

As to the Syrian conflict,  the prime minister said Syrian refugees were different, in that the majority of them intended to return to their country once the conflict was over.

Just spoke to the upcoming EU presidency - Malta's PM @JosephMuscat_JM - is it time to talk Brexit? "No" he says, waiting for A50

— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) October 20, 2016

In an earlier interview with One TV from Brussels, Muscat said he could not blame the UK for taking so long to trigger Article 50, because it was using the time to get its priorities straight before actually starting negotiations, which could not last longer than two years.

He noted that Article 50 would be triggered while Malta will be holding the presidency of the European Council and that they were prepared for it and for getting the negotiations underway.

“I do not believe that the elections planned for early next year in France, Germany and the Netherlands will be influenced by the Brexit vote, although those leaders are eager to get the negotiations with the UK underway at the earliest possible,” Muscat said.

“With all its shortcomings, the EU remains the best alternative available.”

As to immigration, Muscat said he was not expecting anything out of the summit, and that Malta had had to pursue an agreement with Italy independently of the EU.

Asked about the EU sanctioning Russia for its role in Syria and its support of Assad, Muscat said he had always felt that open discussion and debate went much further than sanctions.

“Russia is the EU’s largest neighbour, and I prefer to engage a country instead of having a large neighbour whose pride has been hurt,” he said.

“That would be dangerous.”

Muscat, together with other leaders, met Martin Schultz, president of the European Parliament, at 4pm on Thursday for the traditional exchange of views.

The Council then sat down for the first working session of the summit, devoted to migration and focusing on border protection and partnership frameworks with African countries.

Prime Minister Fico, representing the Slovak Presidency of the Council, was also expected to update his colleagues on the progress made in the Council on the issues contained in the Bratislava roadmap and set out the next steps of implementation.

PN leader Simon Busuttil with EPP President Joseph Daul

Over dinner, the heads of state or government will have a strategic discussion on the EU's overall relations with Russia, including Russia's role in the Syrian conflict.

British prime minister Theresa May will be invited to provide a short update on Brexit, while Dutch PM Mark Rutte is expected to give an update on the situation in the Netherlands with regard to the referendum on the trade and association agreement with the Ukraine.

Tusk also intends to present new ideas on the working methods of the European Council.

On Friday the heads of state will reconvene at 10am to discuss trade policy, including the agreement with Canada (CETA) and adopt the conclusions on other global and economic issues.