Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz arrives for the European People's Party (EPP) meeting ahead of the informal meeting of EU leaders, in Salzburg, Austria, September 19, 2018. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called on Britain to be more flexible in the Brexit negotiations after the EU’s chief negotiator offered compromises.

“A hard Brexit with no deal would be difficult for Europe, but it would be terrible for the UK,” Kurz, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency, told a news conference on Wednesday before the start of a summit with the bloc’s leaders.

He said he was still optimistic for a deal, however.