BERLIN (Reuters) - German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said on Thursday that an orderly departure of Britain from the European Union was possible despite the short time remaining to wrap up the details of a planned exit treaty.
"We are convinced that a so-called soft Brexit, one based on a treaty, both for Britain's exit and for its future relationship (with the EU), is still possible," he told reporters in Berlin, adding that he had agreed with British international trade minister Liam Fox during his Wednesday visit to Berlin that this was the case.
"We both agreed that there were chances for a sensible treaty solution," said Altmaier, one of Chancellor Angela Merkel's closest allies, "and that strengthens me in the belief that at the current time there is no reason to speculate about possible negative consequences."
(Reporting by Michelle Martin and Michael Nienaber, writing by Thomas Escritt)