FILE PHOTO - European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt holds a news conference following the official triggering of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the Brexit in Brussels, Belgium, March 29, 2017. REUTERS/Yves Herman

BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Union and Britain must quickly solve major issues in Brexit negotiations such as finances and citizens’ rights but there is a good chance a deal can be reached, European Parliament negotiator Guy Verhofstadt was quoted as saying.

“It’s our goal to conclude the talks with an agreement. And I’m actually not so pessimistic about that,” Verhofstadt told Handelsblatt newspaper in an interview published on Thursday.