Trade war would make losers of us all, Varadkar tells Washington event
TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has warned that an international trade war would “make losers” of the US and the EU.
Speaking at the Brooking Institute in Washington, DC, Mr Varadkar continued with the theme of his St Patrick’s Day trade mission and called on the US to make Ireland its bridge into Europe once Britain leaves the EU.
He also repeated his concerns about the growing divide between the US and the EU in relation to tax, trade and climate change.
“We value our relationship with the United States, based as it is on the shared values of democracy and the rule of law, respect for the freedom and dignity of all, irrespective of origin, religion, sexuality or ethnicity,” he said.
“For years, this relationship helped provide a bridge between the EU and the United States. I fear that there is a danger that the EU and the United States may drift apart due to growing divisions on trade, tax, climate change and many other areas.”
The Taoiseach said an international trade war, which could be sparked by US President Donald Trump’s recent import tariffs on steel, would make “losers of us all”. Mr Varadkar will also call for a US Ambassador to be appointed when he meets Mr Trump tomorrow. However, he stopped short of calling for a US envoy to be appointed to help ease the political impasse in the North.
“I think the priority for us would be having a US ambassador appointed, more so than a Northern Ireland envoy.
“Sinn Féin and the DUP came very close to an accommodation. While we always welcome US interest and US involvement in Ireland in helping us to achieve what we want to achieve in Northern Ireland, I think what would be more value to us would be the appointment of an ambassador at this stage.”
Mr Varadkar also said he hoped Ireland could enjoy a close relationship with secretary of state Rex Tillerson’s replacement.
He said: “In terms of Rex Tillerson, the appointment of the US cabinet is for President Trump, not for me, but he is somebody who met with Minister Coveney not too long ago and we did think there was a basis for a good partnership and a good working relationship with him but he is no longer in office and Mike Pompeo is there instead and we look forward to the same relationship working with him.”
Meanwhile, Mr Varadkar will be attending the Ireland Funds National Gala dinner ahead of his meeting with Mr Trump. Ireland Funds chief executive Kieran McLoughlin told the Irish Independent that people in the US are impressed by our economic comeback.
“Nobody underestimates the pain and the hardship that people underwent to get there, and they want to do what they can to help society recover as the economy gets back on its feet,” he said.