Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney was out on the wires recently, reiterating that the EU is unwilling to reopen the Brexit withdrawal agreement.
Key quotes (via Reuters)
- No-deal Brexit would be “crazy” outcome of three years of Brexit negotiations.
- UK parliament’s asks must be reasonable.
- EU cannot remove backstop insurance and replace it with ‘wishful thinking’.
- Time-limit to backstop would kick issue down in time, cannot be accepted.
- Ireland spending hundreds of millions of euros preparing for no-deal Brexit.
- Declaration on future ties is the area for manoeuvre on backstop assurances.
- ‘We want to find ways’ to help pm may ratify Brexit deal in parliament.