French PM: progress in Brexit talks are pre-requisite to future EU-UK deals

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Tuesday that any talks with Britain over its future relationship with the European Union would come only after "orderly" talks over its exit from the bloc have been conducted.

"Conducting orderly negotiations over the United Kingdom's exit will be a pre-requisite for the future relationship's framework," Philippe told lawmakers.

The EU's negotiating guidelines prevent its chief negotiator Michel Barnier from opening any talks on the free trade agreement, which British Prime Minister Theresa May wants, until EU leaders decide "significant progress" has been made on a deal to settle key issues in the divorce.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)