Spanish PM agrees to back Brexit deal

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Europe

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says Spain will agree to support the Brexit deal after Britain and the European Union agreed to give it a say in the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar.

Sanchez said Saturday that the U.K. and the EU have agreed to include language in the Brexit divorce deal that Spain could deal with London directly on the issue of Gibraltar.

Sanchez says “this is going to allow us to have direct negotiations with the U.K. regarding Gibraltar.”

The issue had become a late stumbling block in the Brexit talks.

Sanchez had said on Friday he wouldn't back the divorce deal U.K. and European Union leaders are supposed to vote on during Sunday's summit in Brussels, saying a draft agreement did not include clear language regarding Gibraltar.

Earlier the European Union had said it was close to reaching an agreement to ease Spanish concerns about the future of Gibraltar in Brexit talks.

EU spokesman Preben Aamann said on Twitter Saturday that after a phone conversation between Spanish Premier Pedro Sanchez and EU Council President Donald Tusk, “we are closer” to an agreement ahead of Sunday's EU summit in Brussels.

Source(s): AP