- May tells EU President Tusk: "We are leaving the European Union, but we are not leaving Europe."
- May says failure to secure a comprehensive UK-EU deal would mean "cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism would be weakened."
- PM calls for "particular" attention to the UK's "unique relationship with the Republic of Ireland the importance of the peace process in Northern Ireland" — "we want to avoid a return to a hard border between our two countries."
- She says both parties should make a Free Trade Agreement an "early priority."
LONDON — Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50 just after midday on Wednesday, kick-starting the UK's formal two-year exit process from the European Union.
The formal notice was delivered in the form of a letter to President of the EU Council Donald Tusk, delivered by Tim Barrow, the UK's permanent representative to the European Union.
In the letter, May adopts a more conciliatory tone compared to speeches she has given earlier in the year, with a lot of emphasis on post-Brexit cooperation and her sincere wish that the EU succeeds and prospers in the future.
"We want to make sure that Europe remains strong and prosperous and is capable of projecting its values, leading in the world, and defending itself from security threats. We want the United Kingdom, through a new deep and special partnership with a strong European Union, to play its full part in achieving this goals," she writes.
The letter also reveals some key issues ahead of talks getting underway.
The prime minister repeatedly links economy with security, suggesting that she could use the latter as leverage in negotiations with EU leaders.
She also notes the importance of both an exit deal and a future long-term trade deal being agreed within the two-year time frame. Most experts agree that striking a new EU-UK trade deal in Article 50 negotiations is unrealistic.
You can read May's letter in full below:
Check out BI's politics section for more analysis on the Article 50 letter, May's statement, and what it means for Britain.
