David Cameron plays down hopes of quick EU deal

[unhappycamper]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/22/david-cameron-plays-down-quick-eu-reform-deal-hopes

Prime minister arrives in Latvia determined to press Britain’s case for change, but warns there will be ‘lots of ups and downs along the way’

David Cameron plays down hopes of quick EU deal
Rowena Mason in Riga and Frances Perraudin
Friday 22 May 2015 06.09 EDT

David Cameron has warned there will be ups and downs in his battle for changes to the European Union, as he arrived at a summit in Latvia.

Speaking from Riga before his first summit with EU leaders since his general election victory, the UK prime minister played down any expectations of a quick deal and suggested other countries and commentators would initially create “noise” to undermine his aims.

However, he emphasised his determination to get a new deal for Britain and explain to leaders that the UK referendum on EU membership would definitely take place before the end of 2017. There have been reports that Cameron was hoping to get a deal done a year early and then hold a referendum in 2016, but this is his first face-to-face opportunity to test the appetite for change among a wide variety of EU leaders since he won the election outright.
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As he entered the talks, Cameron said: “It is an opportunity to start some of the discussions about the reform of the European Union. There will be ups and downs – you’ll hear one day this is possible, the next day something else is impossible.