Brexit: Johnson shows interest in deal without backstop
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has declared his interest to the European Union President, Donald, his desire to conclude a Brexit deal as well as his opposition to the controversial “backstop” on Ireland.
The backstop is a mechanism that would keep the United Kingdom in EU customs arrangements to prevent a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state.
In his statement, Johnson stressed that his government wanted to achieve a divorce deal with Brussels.
“You have my personal commitment that this government will work with energy and determination to achieve an agreement. That is our highest priority,” Johnson wrote.
Brussels says the backstop is needed as a fallback option to preserve the integrity of European trade and avoid risking a return of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland.
The backstop was included in the accord reached with the European Union by former premier Theresa May, which was rejected thrice by the British parliament.
The European Union has repeatedly stated that it was not ready to renegotiate the Brexit deal it had reached with May.
The Prime Minister will seek support for his vision for Brexit in key European capitals, traveling Wednesday to Berlin to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel and Thursday to Paris for talks with President Emmanuel Macron, ahead of the G7 summit in Biarritz at the end of the week.
