Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and her Irish counterpart, Simon Coveney, held their first «good and friendly» meeting on the thorny issue of Brexit arrangements in… northern IrelandIrish government sources said.
They met for the first time over dinner in London on Thursday night and discussed the Northern Ireland Protocol, the broader relationship with the European Union, and United Nations security issues including the crisis in Ukraine And Kazakhstan.
The meeting came less than a month after Britain’s exit from the European Union David Frost has resigned And before the first meeting with the Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the Brexit negotiations, Maros تشيevewicz, with the honor of the Secretary of State, Chevening.
Truss and Coveney previously met in 2014 when they were in charge of agriculture but have not met in person since Truss became secretary of state in the fall reshuffle.
An Irish government source said: “The Foreign Secretary and the Foreign Secretary have previously worked together on the Agriculture Brief, so it was good that we had the opportunity early in the New Year to meet in person. They had a good and friendly discussion on all matters in their current Brief, including the exit Britain from the European Union in the North Irelandas well as matters of the United Nations Security Council.
While the meeting has been described as «good», British sources say Truss will not drop his demands for more concessions from the EU on the issue. Britain’s exit from the European Union Protocol in Northern Ireland.
The UK is seeking a drastic reduction in trade barriers affecting consumers and businesses amid persistent threats by the Democratic Unionist Party to leave the Stormont Assembly unless the current protocol is shredded.
The UK also maintains Lord Frost’s call for changes to the rules on state aid, governance and dispute resolution, and to abolish the European Court of Justice as the sole arbiter in the case of trade disputes.
While Truss has said she wants a «comprehensive solution,» her appointment was seen by many as a moment of replay with expectations of new momentum to be forged at her meeting with Shevovich next week.
The UK agreed that a two-phase solution could break the nine-month stalemate, with a deal of customs paperwork and physical checks in place by the end of February to avoid a crisis ahead of Stormont’s elections in May.
Under this scenario, more complex governance issues will be postponed to the second half of 2022, when political tensions over Brexit subside in Northern Ireland and France will not take over the presidency of the European Council.