Could Huawei deal scupper our trade talks with the US?
BRITAIN’S new ambassador to Washington was plunged straight into the deep end last night as the US warned that talks on a post-Brexit trade deal could collapse.
Dame Karen Pierce became Britain’s first female ambassador to Washington yesterday after Boris Johnson finally named a successor to Sir Kim Darroch, who stepped down at the end of last year.
But she was plunged into a crisis last night when US Vice President Mike Pence suggested trade talks were in jeopardy because of the UK’s decision to allow the Chinese telecoms firm Huawei a limited role in the 5G network.
Donald Trump is reported to have become ‘apoplectic’ with Mr Johnson last week when the Prime Minister called to say the UK was defying US advice to ban Huawei altogether. US
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made conciliatory noises about the decision during a visit to London last week.
But Mr Pence yesterday suggested the White House remained furious.
Asked whether the UK’s decision on Huawei could be a deal-breaker for the trade talks, Mr Pence responded: ‘We’ll see.’
Dame Karen, whose appointment has to be confirmed by the US administration, was most recently the UK’s ambassador to the United Nations.
She cuts a colourful figure on the diplomatic circuit and is said to have impressed Mr Trump, who reportedly described her as ‘fab’ following an encounter at the UN.
She now faces the task of trying to calm US concerns about Huawei, which Washington said is a risk to the security of the UK and its intelligence partners. Tensions are also strained over the refusal of the US to allow the extradition of diplomat’s wife Anne Sacoolas, who is wanted in connection with the road death of Harry Dunn.
Downing Street has defended the Huawei decision and insisted that intelligence-sharing with the US and other allies in the Five Eyes partnership – Australia, Canada and New Zealand – would continue.
But Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab reportedly faced criticism over the decision when he met MPs on Thursday during his trip to Australia. The
Sydney Morning Herald reported that he was asked: ‘How would you feel if the Russians laid down infrastructure in your own networks? That’s how we feel about Huawei.’
Downing Street is drawing up plans for Boris Johnson to announce the fate of HS2 in Birmingham next week.
After months of division over the £100billion rail scheme, the Prime Minister is said to be close to giving the project final approval and Chancellor Sajid Javid has already swung behind the scheme.
‘Trying to calm concerns’