EU Brexit negotiator: Britain must solve major issues before talks can advance

The European Union's Brexit negotiator,

Michel Barnier, warned Britain on Wednesday to resolve major issues

including Irish border controls, EU citizens' rights and the amount

Britain will have to pay for the divorce before talks can advance.

His

statement was a retort to British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's

remark that the bloc could "go whistle" on the divorce bill. Barnier

said all three above issues are intertwined.

Estimates

show Britain may have to pay over 110 billion US dollars to cover

pension liabilities for EU staff and other commitments.