Summary:

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen says British Prime Minister Theresa May’s confident tone in outlining Britain’s Brexit stance can partly be explained as negotiation tactics. Mr Mykkänen points out that May’s speech seems to have made the starting position for negotiations more clear which can make it easier for the EU to put on a united front, which Mr Mykkänen sees as vital. He believes the Brits may calculate that they will reach a politically more acceptable result through a broad and compact free trade deal than by holding on to the internal market as a concept.

Media:  Ilta-Sanomat

Date: 17.1.2017

Journalist: STT

Main source: Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen