Luxembourg (AFP)

Six weeks before the divorce with the EU, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be having lunch on Monday in Luxembourg with European negotiators very reserved about his announcements and not very optimistic about the chances of a concerted separation.

Boris Johnson asked to meet the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker before he leaves for Strasbourg where the European Parliament meets in plenary session. EU negotiator Michel Barnier from France will participate in the talks.

Boris Johnson will then meet with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and the two leaders will hold a joint press conference.

The tricks of Mr. Johnson leave the Europeans marble. When Boris Johnson announces "tremendous progress" on how to deal with the problems of the northern Irish border and compares to Hulk, a superhero who can free the UK from European impediments, Europeans say "wait" for concrete proposals and say "not very optimistic" about the chances of a divorce arranged on 31 October.

"Nothing tangible so far", AFP told a senior European diplomat in a comment on the latest meetings between Boris Johnson's advisor, David Frost, and Michel Barnier's teams in Brussels .

"We have no reason to be optimistic" about the chances of reaching an agreement before the European summit held on 17 and 18 October, for its part warned the European negotiator at a meeting with the leaders of the groups policies of the European Parliament.

Same feeling for Jean-Claude Juncker. The President of the European Commission "is not optimistic" after learning about the solutions proposed by London for Ireland and "he is still waiting for concrete proposals," said his entourage.

The European Parliament, which will have to approve the agreement reached with London, has raised the tone. He will vote on Wednesday a very harsh resolution in which he demands a safeguard clause - the backstop - to prevent the return of a physical border between Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland, which Boris Johnson refuses.

"If the divorce is done without agreement, the UK government will assume full responsibility and must honor all its financial commitments, respect the rights of European citizens and its obligations under the agreement of Good Friday with Ireland", warned the President of the Assembly, David Sassoli.

"The European Parliament will not approve new negotiations between the EU and the UK if these obligations are not respected," he threatened.

The solution would be to limit the safeguard clause to Northern Ireland, recalled the Speaker of Parliament. This region would remain the customs territory of the EU and become the border with the rest of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland and Wales), a solution for the moment rejected by the British because it opens the door to reunification in Ireland .

- Barnier and "Hulk" Johnson -

The Europeans know what they want and, united, they camp on their positions. They are waiting for the next moves of Boris Johnson.

The British Prime Minister knows what he risks in case of divorce without agreement. A government file reports disorders and shortages of drugs and food.

"We are always ready to objectively examine any concrete and legally valid proposal from the United Kingdom, but we are still waiting for them," said Michel Barnier.

"The more Hulk gets angry, the more Hulk gets strong and he always escapes," boasts Boris Johnson. "The Brexit is a school of patience and determination", Michel Barnier answers, tongue-in-cheek.

© 2019 AFP