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Irish FM dismisses Polish idea of time-limited backstop post-Brexit

PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki 22.01.2019 12:20
Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has dismissed a Polish proposal for a time-limited “backstop” for the Irish border after Brexit.
Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz. Photo: Tymon Markowski/MSZPolish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz. Photo: Tymon Markowski/MSZ

Coveney said on Monday that the UK’s withdrawal agreement with the European Union was not up for renegotiation and that the Polish proposal did not reflect the EU position.

Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz has said that the Brexit deadlock could be resolved if Ireland were prepared to accept a time-limited backstop of five years.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Monday, Czaputowicz argued that a five-year backstop limit would be more favourable than a no-deal Brexit, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.

Until then, EU27 leaders insisted that the backstop must apply indefinitely as part of Britain’s divorce from the bloc if no other arrangement is worked out to prevent a "hard border" between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The arrangement is designed to ensure that there are no controls on the Irish border after Brexit until a new EU-UK trade agreement is negotiated, the IAR news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Brexit advocates are concerned that the backstop could drag on forever and prevent the UK from entering into international trade agreements, according to IAR.

That is why many British MPs this month voted against a Brexit deal secured in Brussels by UK Prime Minister Theresa May, IAR reported.

According to Czaputowicz, limiting the backstop to five years could help break the deadlock.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s Coveney told reporters on Monday that “putting a time limit on the insurance mechanism" that the backstop is would effectively mean that “it’s not a backstop at all.”

He added: “I don’t think that reflects EU thinking in relation to the Withdrawal Agreement. Of course, I can understand why the Polish minister would be concerned that we need to find solutions in relation to avoiding a no-deal Brexit because there are many Polish people living in Ireland and in the UK, but I think [EU’s chief Brexit negotiator] Michel Barnier, [European Commission head] Jean-Claude Juncker and [European Council head] Donald Tusk—these are the voices that speak on behalf of the European Union.”

Britain’s May, when asked about Czaputowicz’s idea in the House of Commons in London on Monday, said: “I look forward to exploring in more detail the proposals that have been put forward by the Polish foreign minister on this particular issue of dealing with the backstop.”

She added: “We’ve always worked well with the Polish government on these and other matters across the European Union Council and want to continue to have that very close relationship with Poland after we leave the European Union.”

(gs/pk)

Source: IAR

tags: brexit, brexit
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