Reuters, Brussels :
British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Friday he was still working toward a deal with European partners on keeping Britain a member of the European Union, adding he would stand his ground to defend British interests.
“I was here till 5 o’clock this morning working through this and we’ve made some progress but there’s still no deal,” Cameron said on arriving at for a second day of a summit of European leaders in Brussels.
“And as I’ve said I’ll only do a deal if we get what Britain needs,” he added.
All-night talks failed to secure a deal to prevent Britain from becoming the first to crash out of the EU in the bloc’s 60-year history.
Fellow European leaders have dug their heels in over Cameron’s demands, which include reducing welfare payments to EU migrants and opting out of a commitment to ever-closer union.
“It’s hard going — some signs of progress but nothing yet agreed and still a lot to do,” a source in Cameron’s Downing Street office said on condition of anonymity.
Under pressure from eurosceptics in his own Conservative Party and a hostile right-wing press, Cameron is seeking sweeping reforms to the 28-member bloc before putting Britain’s membership to an in-out referendum as early as June.
But the deadlock threatens to derail Cameron’s plan to announce the date of the referendum in London on Friday after securing a deal in Brussels and holding an emergency Cabinet meeting.
After talks with EU president Donald Tusk and French President Francois Hollande in the early hours, Cameron left the summit venue shortly after 5:30am (0430 GMT), Downing Street said.
He is set to hold further talks with Tusk at 11:45am (1045 GMT).
Cameron has run into opposition from France and Belgium over his bid to make clear Britain is not committed to ever-closer union and ensure that the City of London financial district is not bound by the rules governing the euro single currency area.
Hollande made clear his objection on entering the talks Friday, saying he wanted a single rule book to “fight financial crises together”.
On day one of the meeting Thursday, Cameron urged his fellow EU leaders to reach a “credible” reform deal and called for a “sort of live and let live” approach to allow different visions of EU membership.
He added that the issue of Britain’s place in Europe “has been allowed to fester for too long” and there was now a chance “to settle this issue for a generation”.
Cameron says he will back a “Yes” vote in the referendum if he can cut an acceptable deal in Brussels but his aides say he is prepared to walk away if not.
Officials are still refusing to rule out the possibility that Britain could become the first country to leave the EU in its more than 60-year history.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Friday he was still working toward a deal with European partners on keeping Britain a member of the European Union, adding he would stand his ground to defend British interests.
“I was here till 5 o’clock this morning working through this and we’ve made some progress but there’s still no deal,” Cameron said on arriving at for a second day of a summit of European leaders in Brussels.
“And as I’ve said I’ll only do a deal if we get what Britain needs,” he added.
All-night talks failed to secure a deal to prevent Britain from becoming the first to crash out of the EU in the bloc’s 60-year history.
Fellow European leaders have dug their heels in over Cameron’s demands, which include reducing welfare payments to EU migrants and opting out of a commitment to ever-closer union.
“It’s hard going — some signs of progress but nothing yet agreed and still a lot to do,” a source in Cameron’s Downing Street office said on condition of anonymity.
Under pressure from eurosceptics in his own Conservative Party and a hostile right-wing press, Cameron is seeking sweeping reforms to the 28-member bloc before putting Britain’s membership to an in-out referendum as early as June.
But the deadlock threatens to derail Cameron’s plan to announce the date of the referendum in London on Friday after securing a deal in Brussels and holding an emergency Cabinet meeting.
After talks with EU president Donald Tusk and French President Francois Hollande in the early hours, Cameron left the summit venue shortly after 5:30am (0430 GMT), Downing Street said.
He is set to hold further talks with Tusk at 11:45am (1045 GMT).
Cameron has run into opposition from France and Belgium over his bid to make clear Britain is not committed to ever-closer union and ensure that the City of London financial district is not bound by the rules governing the euro single currency area.
Hollande made clear his objection on entering the talks Friday, saying he wanted a single rule book to “fight financial crises together”.
On day one of the meeting Thursday, Cameron urged his fellow EU leaders to reach a “credible” reform deal and called for a “sort of live and let live” approach to allow different visions of EU membership.
He added that the issue of Britain’s place in Europe “has been allowed to fester for too long” and there was now a chance “to settle this issue for a generation”.
Cameron says he will back a “Yes” vote in the referendum if he can cut an acceptable deal in Brussels but his aides say he is prepared to walk away if not.
Officials are still refusing to rule out the possibility that Britain could become the first country to leave the EU in its more than 60-year history.
