{"id":26307,"date":"2022-05-23T09:41:40","date_gmt":"2022-05-23T13:41:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=26307"},"modified":"2022-05-23T09:41:43","modified_gmt":"2022-05-23T13:41:43","slug":"us-delegation-warns-british-government-against-unilateral-action-on-ni-protocol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=26307","title":{"rendered":"US Delegation Warns British Government Against Unilateral Action On NI Protocol"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Congressman Richard Neal (PA Archive\/PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A delegation of politicians from the United States has warned the British government that unilaterally removing the Northern Ireland Protocol \u201cwill not work\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee urged UK foreign secretary Liz Truss to engage in face-to-face negotiations with Brussels to resolve the outstanding issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes as the bipartisan US congressional delegation is due to meet Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin on Monday in Dublin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sinn F\u00e9in leader Mary Lou McDonald will also meet the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The delegation, led by senior Democrat Richard Neal, is visiting Ireland and Northern Ireland this week amid ongoing tensions caused by the post-Brexit trading arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Kildee met with Ms Truss over the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important, and we stress this, that the (British Government) negotiate and that they not take unilateral action,\u201d Mr Kildee told RT\u00c9 Morning Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think that was the very first point that was pressed by our delegation, most particularly Richie Neal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe only way we can come to agreement, the only way we protect the incredible progress that\u2019s represented with the Good Friday Agreement, is face-to-face negotiation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is disappointing to see unilateral action being considered, we stressed that that was not the approach that we recommend, but again, difficult to determine their motivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t believe that is the proper path. We think unilateral solutions will not work, face-to-face negotiation to work out some of these technical questions can be achieved and that\u2019s what we currently recommend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said there was no indication the British Government intends to \u201cchange course\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe purpose of the meeting was to make sure it was very clear to them what our position is and has been the position of chairman Neal, Nancy Pelosi, and the American government in general supports that we don\u2019t believe that will lead to a positive outcome,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe think it\u2019s best, whenever there is a difference, to sit down across the table and negotiate toward a common purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s interesting that is the history that we celebrate when we think about the incredible benefits of the Good Friday Agreement, a very difficult, long-standing dispute resolved through negotiation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a lesson that not only the rest of the world should learn, but we would hope that the parties involved now, the UK Government would recognize that\u2019s the way to resolve these differences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group repeated a warning that there will not be a US-UK trade agreement if any damage is caused to the Good Friday Agreement as a result of unilateral action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s been articulated by the speaker and now having had both Democratic and Republican members of Congress, who don\u2019t agree on everything, there are many things we disagree on but we agree on that point and we\u2019ve made it very clear to each and every person that we\u2019ve met with on this delegation trip,\u201d Mr Kildee added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, DUP Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said his party would be stressing the difficulties the Northern Ireland Protocol is causing during meetings with a US delegation this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Lyons told the BBC Good Morning Ulster program: \u201cRather than protecting the Good Friday Agreement and successor agreements, the protocol actually damages them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is causing economic difficulty, it is causing societal problems and it is very clearly causing divergence of trade, and of course it is causing political instabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo we need to get that message across that the protocol is not protecting the Good Friday Agreement and that is why we need this issue dealt with quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Lyons added: \u201cI know that is not going to be an easy task. I previously met with Congressman Neal in Washington and reminded him and Nancy Pelosi of the problems with the protocol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s fair to say that they weren\u2019t interested. We are going to have a particular challenge with Congressman Neal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also accused Mr Neal of having a \u201cone-sided\u201d view of Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Lyons said: \u201cHe very clearly takes a different view than unionists would on many things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe has worked closely together with Friends Of Sinn F\u00e9in in America, attending their events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe has planted trees in memory of hunger strikers and spoken glowingly about them. He commended President (Michael D) Higgins for not attending a service to commemorate the centenary of Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe has said he is hopeful there will be a united Ireland in his lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, yet again we are dealing with more American politicians who are very much one-sided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat adds to the challenge, but we are up for that, and letting them know about the issues that the protocol is causing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There has been controversy over the Northern Ireland Protocol since its inception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Created to avoid the return of checkpoints along the Irish border, after years of negotiation it was agreed that new Brexit regulatory and customs processes would be placed along the Irish Sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both London and Brussels agreed to this as part of the final Brexit negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since its implementation in early 2021, the EU and UK agree that the protocol does not work as smoothly as it should, and both sides engaged in further negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grace periods were introduced for some new Brexit trade rules in the protocol, meaning retailers and exporters do not yet have to adhere to all the checks and standards required.<\/p>\n

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