Diplomat calls for Anglo-Irish Brexit summit in a bid to smooth relations

interests would be marginalised in the main Brexit negotiations.

The former diplomat, who was one of the negotiators of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, gave a stark warning of dire potential consequences for the Republic if it left all Brexit negotiations to Brussels.

“We risk acquiescing in a second partition of our island; the decimation of our most important industry, agri-food, and the killing of our fishing industry,” he said.

“The links between north and south on this island and our links with Britain are so numerous and deep that it is virtually impossible to enumerate them.

“Over 600,000 Irish-born people live on the island of Britain; 80% of our total exports travel through the British transport system.

“Hence, the price we may be asked to pay for EU solidarity could be very high. The question is whether it is too high.”

German interests will dominate the EU Brexit negotiations, Dr Bassett said, adding: “There is not even a pretence nowadays that the members of the EU are in any way equal. “Therefore Ireland, once again, must look to our ‘gallant allies’ in Europe, with Merkel standing in for the Kaiser in the latest round.

“Hopefully, Germany will be more effective than it was in 1916.” The former diplomat said he sensed a political determination in mainland Europe to ‘punish the Brits’, in order to discourage other countries from leaving the EU.

“The European Commission is used to throwing its weight around with smaller countries such as Greece, Cyprus, Ireland and Switzerland — but Brexit is of an entirely different magnitude. The commission needs to develop its diplomatic skills rather than relying on bullying tactics,” he said.

“For Ireland, we must impress upon the European authorities