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EU talks will go down to the wire, says Philip Hammond EU talks will go down to the wire, says Philip Hammond
(about 3 hours later)
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said Britain needs a "robust deal" for staying in the EU, which will only be decided when heads of government meet on Thursday to finalise an agreement. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond says Britain needs a "robust deal" for staying in the EU, when European leaders meet at a summit on Thursday.
"There are still a lot of moving parts in this discussion," Mr Hammond told the Andrew Marr Show. Prime Minister David Cameron is seeking EU reform before Britain votes in an in/out referendum before 2018.
He said a draft deal contained "unclear language" and "square brackets". "There are still a lot of moving parts," Mr Hammond told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.
The final agreement should provide "clear winds for Britain on national sovereignty", he said. "We've got a negotiation that will run through this week and, I have no doubt, will run right to the wire."
Mr Hammond said that in talks over benefits for migrants "we've got a recognition that there can be different treatment [to British nationals] for four years". Mr Hammond said the draft deal contains lots of "square brackets", "blanks" and "unclear language", but added a final agreement should provide "clear winds for Britain on national sovereignty".
In so doing, Britain had succeeded in "challenging one of the sacred cows of EU ideology". 'Step forward'
"And it's important to us that we are talking about how we are treating them differently rather than whether we can treat them differently," he said. Mr Cameron has promised a referendum on whether Britain should remain in the EU by the end of 2017 but could bring the date forward if a deal is reached this week.
Among the four main changes Mr Cameron is trying to secure is limiting access to welfare benefits for EU migrants for their first four years in the country.
"Until a few weeks ago, people were telling us it was impossible to have any kind of period in which we treated newly arrived migrants differently from people who are already here," he said.
"But the text that's on the table recognises there can be a period of four years in which people are treated differently.
"That's a major step forward. What we have still got to discuss is what that difference in treatment precisely is... I don't think that is going to get resolved before Thursday."
EU referendum: US wants 'strong UK in strong EU'EU referendum: US wants 'strong UK in strong EU'
Guide: All you need to know about the referendumGuide: All you need to know about the referendum
He said the government was "still arguing" that treaty change would be the best way of cementing a new relationship with the EU. Asked whether a one-year ban on in-work benefits for migrants would be enough to satisfy his party, Mr Hammond replied: "Definitely not."
He went on: "Getting agreement that we can treat new arrivals differently for a period of four years is a major breakthrough in challenging, as we have done, one of the sacred cows of European ideology."
Mr Hammond said the government was "still arguing" that treaty change would be the best way of cementing a new relationship with the EU.
But Mr Hammond said it was not essential, if European heads of government signed a binding agreement.But Mr Hammond said it was not essential, if European heads of government signed a binding agreement.
"Even if treaty change is agreed, it will be years before that treaty change comes into force," he said. "And once this [deal on Thursday] is agreed we need to see it implemented as soon as possible." "Even if treaty change is agreed, it will be years before that treaty change comes into force," he said. "And once this [deal on Thursday] is agreed we need to see it implemented as quickly as possible."
Eurosceptic Labour MP Gisela Stuart said the EU project "was always deeper integration" and Prime Minister David Cameron had not been ambitious enough in the reforms he had sought over membership. Eurosceptic Labour MP Gisela Stuart said the EU project "was always deeper integration" and Mr Cameron had not been ambitious enough in the reforms he had sought over membership.
"The bar he set himself was exceptionally low," she told the Marr Show. "The bar he set himself was exceptionally low," she told Marr.
"My instincts are this simply isn't good enough and won't serve the British people.""My instincts are this simply isn't good enough and won't serve the British people."
Ms Stuart said she thought voting in the referendum over whether to stay in the EU or leave would "not fall along party lines".Ms Stuart said she thought voting in the referendum over whether to stay in the EU or leave would "not fall along party lines".
"We will go into the referendum with people coming from all sides and voting in pretty unpredictable ways," she said."We will go into the referendum with people coming from all sides and voting in pretty unpredictable ways," she said.
Russia accused over SyriaRussia accused over Syria
Asked about Syria, Mr Hammond said the situation in the city of Aleppo was "extremely worrying". Asked about Syria, Mr Hammond accused Russia of "carpet bombing tactics" and carrying out "indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas".
He accused Russia of "carpet bombing" and carrying out "indiscriminate bombing" of civilian areas.
Russia denies hitting civilians and has said it will continue its air attacks, which it says target only "terrorists".Russia denies hitting civilians and has said it will continue its air attacks, which it says target only "terrorists".
On the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Mr Hammond said the key question was "whether the Russians are prepared to use their influence to remove him".On the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Mr Hammond said the key question was "whether the Russians are prepared to use their influence to remove him".
He said Russian air strikes were causing "attrition" among rebel groups but that the conflict overall was in "a bit of a stalemate". "There is one man on this planet who can end the civil war in Syria by making a phone call and that's President [Vladimir] Putin."
Mr Hammond said Russian air strikes were causing "attrition" among rebel groups but that the conflict overall was in "a bit of a stalemate".
Russian air power was forcing opposition forces to give ground but the Syrian government was unable to take and hold that territory, he added.Russian air power was forcing opposition forces to give ground but the Syrian government was unable to take and hold that territory, he added.
Mr Hammond said the number of "moderate" opposition fighters now stood at 150,000.Mr Hammond said the number of "moderate" opposition fighters now stood at 150,000.
"I wouldn't call them democratic," he said. "I wouldn't call them all democratic," he said.
Russia has said other countries should join it in backing the Syrian government.Russia has said other countries should join it in backing the Syrian government.
Mr Hammond's comments come after three days of talks among foreign ministers in Munich about prospects for peace in Syria.Mr Hammond's comments come after three days of talks among foreign ministers in Munich about prospects for peace in Syria.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says that with President Assad and three mainstream rebel groups all vowing to carry on fighting, talks are "in practice, back where they started".BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says that with President Assad and three mainstream rebel groups all vowing to carry on fighting, talks are "in practice, back where they started".