<p class="title">Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday he was "cautiously optimistic" about striking a Brexit deal ahead of his first face-to-face talks with EU chiefs next week.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Johnson is due to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Luxembourg on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Johnson's upbeat tone on striking a divorce deal with the European Union in time for Britain's scheduled October 31 departure date is in marked contrast with the mood music from Brussels.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The British pound gained one percent against the dollar in Friday trading on speculation that the two sides were edging closer to a compromise over the contentious Irish border issue.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the gap between London and Brussels remained "very wide".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Johnson said the public deserved to know the latest in the Brexit talks, as he restated his insistence that Britain must leave the EU on October 31, with or without a withdrawal agreement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We're working incredibly hard to get a deal," he said during a visit to Rotherham in northern England.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There is the rough shape of a deal to be done." On the talks with Juncker and Barnier -- the first time Johnson will meet them since he came to power on July 24 -- the PM added: "We'll see where we get.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I am cautiously optimistic.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Whatever happens, we'll come out on October 31." EU spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said Juncker and Johnson would have a working lunch.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, in Ireland, Varadkar said on RTE radio: "We are exploring what is possible", adding that "the gap is very wide". He said he would "fight for and work for" a deal, but "not at any cost".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The central sticking point is the so-called "backstop" -- a compromise intended to keep the UK-Irish border open for trade and crossings in all post-Brexit scenarios.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was part of the withdrawal agreement struck between Brussels and Johnson's predecessor Theresa May, but that deal was rejected three times by Britain's parliament -- with the backstop one of the key problems.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Varadkar said that while Dublin had always been willing to explore alternative arrangements, what has been proposed so far "falls very far short" of what is needed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The British pound hit a seven-week high against the dollar Friday on easing fears of a no-deal Brexit.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The UK currency jumped one percent to $1.2476 -- the highest level since late July. Sterling also won strong ground versus the euro.</p>.<p class="bodytext">MPs passed a law instructing Johnson to seek a deadline extension beyond October 31 if no deal emerges from the October 17-18 EU summit. However, Johnson maintains Britain must leave on time, regardless.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The outgoing House of Commons Speaker John Bercow on Thursday warned Johnson not to disobey the law by refusing to ask for a Brexit delay and vowed to thwart any attempt to circumvent legislation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bercow said disobeying the law would set "the most terrible example".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Johnson asked Queen Elizabeth II to close the current parliamentary session on Tuesday and reopen it on October 14, claiming the reset was necessary to roll out his domestic agenda.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The unusually long suspension was widely seen as a bid to thwart opposition to a no-deal departure and provoked uproar across the political spectrum as well as legal challenges.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Johnson's Rotherham speech was interrupted by a heckler who urged him to "get back to parliament" and "sort out the mess you've created".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The premier said he "won't be deterred" from leaving the EU on October 31.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There will be ample time for parliament to consider the deal that I very much hope to do at the EU summit," he insisted. </p>
<p class="title">Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday he was "cautiously optimistic" about striking a Brexit deal ahead of his first face-to-face talks with EU chiefs next week.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Johnson is due to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Luxembourg on Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Johnson's upbeat tone on striking a divorce deal with the European Union in time for Britain's scheduled October 31 departure date is in marked contrast with the mood music from Brussels.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The British pound gained one percent against the dollar in Friday trading on speculation that the two sides were edging closer to a compromise over the contentious Irish border issue.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the gap between London and Brussels remained "very wide".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Johnson said the public deserved to know the latest in the Brexit talks, as he restated his insistence that Britain must leave the EU on October 31, with or without a withdrawal agreement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We're working incredibly hard to get a deal," he said during a visit to Rotherham in northern England.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There is the rough shape of a deal to be done." On the talks with Juncker and Barnier -- the first time Johnson will meet them since he came to power on July 24 -- the PM added: "We'll see where we get.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I am cautiously optimistic.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Whatever happens, we'll come out on October 31." EU spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said Juncker and Johnson would have a working lunch.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, in Ireland, Varadkar said on RTE radio: "We are exploring what is possible", adding that "the gap is very wide". He said he would "fight for and work for" a deal, but "not at any cost".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The central sticking point is the so-called "backstop" -- a compromise intended to keep the UK-Irish border open for trade and crossings in all post-Brexit scenarios.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was part of the withdrawal agreement struck between Brussels and Johnson's predecessor Theresa May, but that deal was rejected three times by Britain's parliament -- with the backstop one of the key problems.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Varadkar said that while Dublin had always been willing to explore alternative arrangements, what has been proposed so far "falls very far short" of what is needed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The British pound hit a seven-week high against the dollar Friday on easing fears of a no-deal Brexit.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The UK currency jumped one percent to $1.2476 -- the highest level since late July. Sterling also won strong ground versus the euro.</p>.<p class="bodytext">MPs passed a law instructing Johnson to seek a deadline extension beyond October 31 if no deal emerges from the October 17-18 EU summit. However, Johnson maintains Britain must leave on time, regardless.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The outgoing House of Commons Speaker John Bercow on Thursday warned Johnson not to disobey the law by refusing to ask for a Brexit delay and vowed to thwart any attempt to circumvent legislation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bercow said disobeying the law would set "the most terrible example".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Johnson asked Queen Elizabeth II to close the current parliamentary session on Tuesday and reopen it on October 14, claiming the reset was necessary to roll out his domestic agenda.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The unusually long suspension was widely seen as a bid to thwart opposition to a no-deal departure and provoked uproar across the political spectrum as well as legal challenges.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Johnson's Rotherham speech was interrupted by a heckler who urged him to "get back to parliament" and "sort out the mess you've created".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The premier said he "won't be deterred" from leaving the EU on October 31.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There will be ample time for parliament to consider the deal that I very much hope to do at the EU summit," he insisted. </p>