Britain says EU reform talks will 'go to the wire'

LONDON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Britain's push to win backingfrom its European partners for its wish list of EU reforms willgo "right to the wire" at a summit this week, Foreign SecretaryPhilip Hammond said on Sunday.

"There isn't a deal yet, there is a working draft, there arelots of moving parts and we have got a negotiation that will runthrough this week, and I have no doubt will run right to thewire," he told BBC television on Sunday.

He said progress was needed to nail down key demands in theareas of competitiveness, the relationship between countries inthe bloc that use the euro and those that do not, nationalsovereignty and access to welfare benefits.

British and EU negotiators have already broadly agreed muchof a reform package, but tricky political issues, notably onmigration, are still outstanding.

Prime Minister David Cameron is hoping to return from asummit of European leaders on Thursday and Friday in Brusselswith a package of reforms that he can take to the British peoplein a referendum on whether to remain in the EU.

"Our European partners understand that we have to have arobust deal in each of those areas if the British people are tovote to remain inside the European Union," Hammond told theAndrew Marr show.

The campaign to remain in the bloc stepped up a gear onSunday, when the boss of airline easyJet said Britain'smembership of the EU was the reason that the cost of flights hadplummeted, while the range of destinations had soared.

"Whatever way to look at it, the EU has brought hugebenefits for UK travellers and businesses," Carolyn McCall wrotein the Sunday Times.

"Staying in the EU will ensure that they, and all of us,continue to receive them."

Campaigners to leave, however, repeated claims that EUsupporters were running a fear campaign to scare people intovoting to stay.

"Those that wish to remain in the EU should make thepositive case for the supranational European project rather thanfrightening people," former defence minister Liam Fox told thenewspaper. (Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Ros Russell)