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| - Germany said Monday it is still rooting for a Brexit deal between Britain and the EU, as the two sides remained locked in trade talks after sailing past a supposed make-or-break deadline. "The hand of the European Union remains outstretched. We still want to achieve a good result for citizens on both sides of the Channel," Berlin's Europe minister Michael Roth told AFP. "A lot of political will, creativity and speed from everyone" were the crucial ingredients for agreement, Roth said, adding that negotiators were "working day and night for a good solution". Germany, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, has repeatedly called for perseverance while the prospect of a deal remains on the table. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas had earlier on Monday said talks should continue "as long as an agreement is possible". "The negotiations will continue and we think it's the right thing to do," Maas told reporters in Berlin. Britain left the EU on January 31 after five decades of integration, but a transition period during which it remains bound by the bloc's rules ends on December 31. Without a post-Brexit deal, Britain's trade with its biggest market would in future operate on pared-down World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, including tariffs and quotas. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU chief Ursula van der Leyen pledged on Sunday to "go the extra mile" as they side-stepped a self-imposed cut-off point to end talks if there was no progress towards a pact. Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday signalled there was a "narrow path" to a trade deal but said key sticking points remain, although Johnson has insisted a no-deal remains "most likely". "It is already five past twelve," Roth said, warning that "time is getting tighter" with just 18 days to go. bur-fec/tgb
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