Leo rebuffs Britain over three-way talks
We’re part of EU team negotiating Brexit, he says
LEO Varadkar has ruled out formal three-way talks between the UK, Ireland and the European Union to look at Theresa May’s Brexit offer.
The Taoiseach said it was not in Ireland’s interests to take part in such talks regarding the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, and that what was needed was for Downing Street to produce more detailed proposals.
It comes after Theresa May on Sunday suggested Mr Varadkar had agreed to form three-way talks to look at the Irish border element of the proposals she outlined on Friday.
The British premier last Friday set out her strategy for negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU in a high-profile speech in London. It will be put to the test this week as negotiations between British and EU officials resume in Brussels. But Mr Varadkar insisted: ‘There won’t be tripartite or three-way talks.’
He said there would be talks between the UK and a group comprising the remaining 27 EU member states including Ireland. ‘We’re much stronger by the way as one of 27,’ he said.
Mr Varadkar said consultations could take place between the Irish and British governments about issues that are unique to Ireland.
‘We will of course have negotiations about what could be done to avoid a hard border, but what we won’t be getting into is a negotiation with the UK, or a three-way negotiation,’ he said. ‘That’s not in our interest.’
The Taoiseach told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland he gave Mrs May’s Brexit speech a guarded welcome, but detail was now needed from the UK government.
He said: ‘What we want is detail, written down in black and white that can be codified into law and that is what is required.’
Mrs May’s plans for keeping a soft Irish border while leaving the Customs Union were thrown into doubt when Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said the EU may not accept her proposals.
Mrs May is hoping to get a postBrexit transition period signed off at the European Council summit of EU leaders on March 22-23, clearing the way for exploratory talks on trade. But tensions over the border issue remain and could hold up agreement.
Sinn Féin leaders Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill met EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels yesterday
Ms McDonald said she had a ‘frank, productive and positive’ meeting with Mr Barnier.
She said he understood the importance of resolving the border problem. Mr Barnier is to meet DUP leader Arlene Foster and her deputy Nigel Dodds in Brussels today.
In Dublin yesterday, Luxembourg prime minister Xavier Bettel said Brexit was a project in which there are only losers.
He said: ‘Ireland and Luxembourg need to stand close in order to avoid the maximum negative impacts of Brexit.
‘To me Brexit is nothing more than a damage limitation exercise that we have to do.
‘We have to respect the choice of the UK. I deeply regret it, but we have to respect it.’
‘We want details from the UK’