Cameron says still no EU deal despite some progress

PanARMENIAN.Net - British Prime Minister David Cameron forged ahead at tougher-than-expected talks with European partners Friday, February 19 after meetings through the night failed to make much progress on his demands for a less intrusive European Union, the Associated Press reports.

"We've made some progress, but there's still no deal," Cameron said as he returned for talks just hours after wrapping up meetings at 5:30 a.m. "We're going to get back in there. We're going to do some more work — and I'll do everything I can."

Another European official said Friday that none of the sticking points had yet been resolved — but no new problems had emerged either. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the consultations were confidential.

The draft deal offers guarantees to the nine EU countries, including Britain, that do not use the shared euro currency, that they will not be sidelined and makes tweaks aimed at giving national parliaments more power.

Most of the tensions surround a relatively minor change: a move to suspend or restrict benefit payments made to workers from other EU countries.

Cameron has run into unexpectedly firm resistance from France on financial regulation. French President Francois Hollande insisted Friday that Britain should not be given any "right of veto or blockage" and that all EU countries should have rules limiting speculation and avoiding new financial crises.

Hollande also warned that too-generous concessions to Britain could prompt other countries to seek special rules, too.

However, EU leaders ultimately want Britain, a major world economy, to stay in the bloc.