Dutch minister hopes for deal but prepares for hard Brexit

Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said on Tuesday that the Netherlands was hoping for a deal on Britain's orderly exit from the European Union but he added his country was also preparing for a no-deal scenario.

"We hope for a negotiated Brexit," he told reporters at an EU ministers' meeting in Luxembourg which will discuss Brexit ahead of a EU leaders' summit on Wednesday and Thursday.

"At the same time we hope for the best and we prepare for the worst. So we also prepare for a hard Brexit," Blok said.

He also said that he hoped there will be an extraordinary summit of EU leaders on Brexit in November, as this would mean that a deal was close.