There is no end to "negotiation" among people. Negotiation is an essential condition of, or attitude toward, human relations to one another and the world.

How UK gov has conducted itself in fact may hardly be construed as a negotiation of equals since Cameron's conspicuous resignation, following several years petitioning for further "reform" of UK privileges, in fact conceded by EU institutions.

Rather UK gov immediately assumed a position to coerce that same economic and political trubute from the EU-27 upon presentation of A50 and Ireland for ransom. That "frame" of malice aforethought --not plausible customs cooperation or border locations, not relative trade balances or agricultural "interests"-- clarified for me anticipated EU strategy to extricate the UK from the union when UK first issued its "Future Partnership" papers.

To borrow a premise:

Political economy cannot be divorced from social and historical contexts

Regardless of any so-called dealing or reconciliation publicly advanced, expect UK gov to continue to hold such people, squinting at shadows, who it deems possessions like hostages. And that "frame" has informed my unsolicited advice on EU actions since and forthcoming. This must stop.

So. Turn about the blessed cheek: What protocol guides hostage negotiations, hmm? And what "technologies" are available to EU negotiators?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.