'I think we can have a deal,' on Brexit says European Commission president

A Brexit deal is possible,European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said onThursday, adding that if the Irish border backstop which theBritish government wants removed could be replaced withalternatives, it would not be needed.

"I think we can have a deal," Juncker said in an interviewwith Sky News, adding that he didn't know if the chances of adeal were more than 50-50.

The contentious backstop an insurance policy to keep thesensitive Irish border open and free of border controls underany circumstances after Brexithas so far proven to be themain stumbling block in the tortuous Brexit talks.

Juncker reiterated that he didn't have a special attachmentto the backstop if another solution was found in thenegotiations with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

"As far as the so-called alternative arrangements areconcerned, allowing us and Britain to achieve the mainobjectives of the backstop if the results are there, I don'tcare about the instrument," he said.

"If the objectives are met, all of them, then we don't needthe backstop."

If the results are there, I don'tcare about the instrument. Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission president

Sterling hit a two-month high versus the American dollar on Juncker'scomments, rising to $1.2546 US, its highest since July 19.

Juncker's comments were clips taken from a longer interviewto be broadcast on Sunday.

Asked about reports that Northern Ireland could follow EUrules on food and agriculture with other checks being done awayfrom the border, the journalist who interviewed Juncker quotedhim as saying: "It is the basis of a deal it is the startingpoint and the arrival point."

Johnson's predecessor, Prime MinisterTheresa May, drewup the current withdrawal agreement with the European Union butrepeatedly failed to get British lawmakers to back it, with thebackstop a major sticking point. She resigned earlier this year.

Under the backstop, May agreed that the U.K. would be tied tothe EU's trading and other rules unless and until anothersolution is found for the Irish border issue.

London proposed to Brussels earlier this month that commonrules for checking animals and animal products could beestablished across the island of Ireland as part of analternative to the backstop arrangement.