Germany welcomes draft Brexit deal

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

Germany welcomed a draft agreement between Brussels and London on Britain’s exit from the European Union.

“I am very pleased that the chief negotiators of the EU and Great Britain has reached a preliminary agreement in Brexit negotiations,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Twitter.

“After months of uncertainty we finally have a clear signal from the Great Britain on how an orderly withdrawal can proceed,” he added.

Maas underlined that Germany would continue to support very close relations between the U.K. and EU after the Brexit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May announced the agreement after a five-hour Cabinet meeting Wednesday.

The EU accepted the idea of whole-U.K. customs union with the bloc in a major concession to please U.K.'s demands to protect its territorial integrity, according to local media.

Full details of the deal are expected Thursday with May’s statement to the parliament.

The U.K. is set to leave the EU next March.