REFILE - CORRECTING NAME OF THE EVENT Britain's Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox speaks at an event hosted by Thomson Reuters in Manhattan, New York, U.S., March 16, 2018. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton LONDON (Reuters) - British trade minister Liam Fox said on Thursday he would not support an extension to the near-two year transition period that has been agreed with the European Union to smooth the country’s exit from the bloc. “I don’t think that’s likely to happen,” he told BBC Radio when asked if transition could extend beyond the end of 2020. “We understand that we need to get the British public’s support and that an extension would not be popular.” Asked if he could rule it out, he replied: “I wouldn’t like to see that and nor would I support an extension.” Reporting by Kate Holton and Estelle Shirbon; editing by Guy Faulconbridge
Liam ##art said he did not support an extension of the agreed transition period for Britain ’s withdrawal from the European Union . questioned by BBC Radio on the likelihood of the Brexit transition being extended beyond 2020 , the British trade minister said he thought it was an unlikely scenario and strategy that would not prove popular with the public .