FILE PHOTO: German Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth attends an EU's General Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 20, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - German European Affairs Minister Michael Roth said on Tuesday he believed talks over Britain’s exit from the European Union were going in the right direction and should produce a solution by November.

“I feel that the proposals of the European Union, and they have been on the table for a long time, are an excellent basis for a compromise,” Roth told reporters on arrival for a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels. “No one wants to punish the United Kingdom.”

“We are ready, we remain fully behind Ireland. We need a clear, acceptable solution for the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland and we are optimistic that we can find a sensible solution by November... I have the feeling it is going in the right direction,” he continued.