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Donald Tusk calls Jeremy Hunt's Soviet jibe unwise and insulting Donald Tusk calls Jeremy Hunt's Soviet jibe unwise and insulting
(35 minutes later)
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt's jibe likening the EU to the Soviet Union was "as unwise as it is insulting", the president of the European Council says.Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt's jibe likening the EU to the Soviet Union was "as unwise as it is insulting", the president of the European Council says.
In a statement alongside Irish PM Leo Varadkar, Donald Tusk called for "respect", saying as someone who spent half his life in the Soviet bloc: "I know what I am talking about". In a statement alongside Irish PM Leo Varadkar, Donald Tusk called for "respect", saying as someone who spent half his life in the Soviet bloc: "I know what I am talking about."
Asked if Mr Hunt should resign, he replied: "That's not my problem."Asked if Mr Hunt should resign, he replied: "That's not my problem."
The foreign secretary made the comments at the Tory conference on Sunday.The foreign secretary made the comments at the Tory conference on Sunday.
Addressing delegates in Birmingham, he accused the EU of seeking to punish the UK in order to "keep the club together".Addressing delegates in Birmingham, he accused the EU of seeking to punish the UK in order to "keep the club together".
His speech recalled a visit to Latvia earlier this summer and the role that the UK and others played in helping it transition from Soviet rule to becoming a modern democracy and market economy.His speech recalled a visit to Latvia earlier this summer and the role that the UK and others played in helping it transition from Soviet rule to becoming a modern democracy and market economy.
"What happened to the confidence and ideals of the European dream?" he asked. "The EU was set up to protect freedom. It was the Soviet Union that stopped people leaving.""What happened to the confidence and ideals of the European dream?" he asked. "The EU was set up to protect freedom. It was the Soviet Union that stopped people leaving."
He has since faced calls to apologise from several EU ambassadors.He has since faced calls to apologise from several EU ambassadors.
At a press briefing in Brussels, Mr Tusk - the former prime minister of Poland - said: "In respecting our partners, we expect the same in return.At a press briefing in Brussels, Mr Tusk - the former prime minister of Poland - said: "In respecting our partners, we expect the same in return.
"Comparing the EU to the Soviet Union is as unwise as it is insulting."Comparing the EU to the Soviet Union is as unwise as it is insulting.
"The Soviet Union was about prisons and gulags, borders and walls, violence against citizens and neighbours."The Soviet Union was about prisons and gulags, borders and walls, violence against citizens and neighbours.
"The European Union is about freedom and human rights, prosperity and peace, life without fear, it is about democracy and pluralism - a continent without internal borders and walls."The European Union is about freedom and human rights, prosperity and peace, life without fear, it is about democracy and pluralism - a continent without internal borders and walls.
"As the President of the European Council and someone who spent half his life in the Soviet bloc, I know what I am talking about.""As the President of the European Council and someone who spent half his life in the Soviet bloc, I know what I am talking about."
'Down to business'
The UK is due to leave the EU in March, but the two sides have not yet reached a deal on how this will work.
Mr Tusk said that now the Conservative Party conference had ended, "we should get down to business".
And in a remark that was welcomed by some Eurosceptics who want to scrap Theresa May's proposed trade plans, he said the EU remained open to a "Canada plus plus plus" deal - a reference to the EU's free trade deal with Canada.
This would be "much further reaching on trade, on internal security and on foreign policy cooperation" than Canada's arrangement, he said.
Theresa May has said a deal like Canada's would not prevent a hard border in Northern Ireland - a key commitment of both sides - due to the extra checks that would be needed on goods.