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UK names new EU ambassador after sudden quit

Xinhua, January 5, 2017 Adjust font size:

The British government will appoint senior diplomat Tim Barrow as its new ambassador to the European Union (EU), UK media reported late Wednesday.

That came one day after his predecessor decided to step down in a surprising manner.

Barrow, Britain's former ambassador to Moscow, is expected to play a key role in the UK's Brexit negotiations, replacing the outgoing EU Ambassador Ivan Rogers.

There has been no official confirmation of the new appointment.

The British government on Tuesday confirmed Rogers had quit his job but gave no reasons for the move. The sudden resignation came just weeks after Rogers was accused of damaging the Britain's Brexit negotiations.

Rogers had warned that it would take a decade to forge a new trade deal with Europe, saying that was the view of the other 27 member states with the bloc.

Political commentators said the relationship between Rogers and the government had become strained over the grim warning of a prolonged Brexit. Endit