Theresa May to trigger two years of Brexit negotiations with EU

London (dpa) - Prime Minister Theresa May is set Wednesday to launch the formal, two-year process of negotiations on Britain leaving the European Union.Late Tuesday, a picture was released of her signing the letter invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and officially notifying the EU of Britain‘s decision to withdraw from the bloc after more than 40 years.The letter is to be hand-delivered to European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels by British Ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow at 1130 GMT and copies are to be sent to the other 27 EU member states.In a speech to parliament designed to coincide with the letter‘s delivery, May is expected to urge the country to come together as it embarks on a "momentous journey.""We are one great union of people and nations with a proud history and a bright future. And, now that the decision has been made to leave the EU, it is time to come together," she is to say.May will tell lawmakers that she wants to represent "every person in the UK," including EU nationals, in Brexit negotiations."It is my fierce determination to get the right deal for every single person in this country," she will say.Britain voted to leave the EU last June, after campaigns which divided the country. Scotland and Northern Ireland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, while England and Wales, with a much larger combined population, voted to leave.May spoke to key EU figures late Tuesday including Tusk, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.Juncker said his conversation had been "good and instructive" and that Britain would remain a "close and committed ally."May has promised to take Britain out of the EU single market but negotiate a deal that keeps close trade relations with Europe, as she builds "a strong, self-governing global Britain" with control over its own borders and laws.Brexit Secretary David Davis said Britain was "on the threshold of the most important negotiation" for Britain "for a generation."The British parliament backed May‘s Article 50 plan earlier this month, after six weeks of debate, when lawmakers backed down on two amendments.On the eve of May starting the Brexit process, a cross-party group of pro-EU lawmakers issued a "Brexit contract" and promised to hold her to account on 10 key areas during her Conservative government‘s negotiations with EU officials.