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UK, Irish leaders discuss compromise on Brexit backstop
DUBLIN, Nov 5, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – The British and Irish leaders on Monday
discussed a possible compromise on the fraught issue of the Northern Irish
border, which is holding up Brexit talks, Dublin said.
In a phone call, Prime Minister Theresa May raised the possibility of a
review mechanism for the so-called backstop arrangement intended to keep open
the border between British Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Varadkar indicated he would consider the idea, but rejected any suggestion
Britain be allowed to unilaterally pull out of the arrangement, according to
a statement issued by his office.
In their call, May “raised the possibility of a review mechanism for the
backstop”, the Irish leader’s office said.
“The Taoiseach (Varadkar) indicated an openness to consider proposals for a
review, provided that it was clear that the outcome of any such review could
not involve a unilateral decision to end the backstop,” it said.
Brexit talks are stalled over how to avoid frontier checks on the Irish
border if Britain leaves the EU’s customs union and single market as planned
when it quits the bloc next March.
Both sides agree to a “backstop” or insurance arrangement to avoid checks
if and until they can strike a wider trade deal that resolves the issue.
The EU wants to Northern Ireland to continue to follow its trade rules, but
London is instead pressing for the whole of the UK to stay temporarily
aligned.
The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Monday that Brexit Secretary Dominic
Raab is pushing for Britain to be able to pull out of the backstop
unilaterally after three months.
Varadkar told reporters in Dublin this was something his government “can’t
countenance”, saying: “A backstop with a three-month limit on it or expiry
date of that nature isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.”
Earlier, both London and Brussels played down suggestions of an imminent
breakthrough in the Brexit talks, after a weekend report in Britain
suggesting a deal was close.
“I would say that we continue to make good progress in the negotiations but
there’s work still to do,” May’s spokesman said in London.
In Brussels, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told
reporters: “We’re not there yet.”
BSS/AFP/ARS/1959 hrs