MNI SOURCES: UK Yet To Raise NI-Only Backstop With EU

By David Thomas

     BRUSSELS(MNI) - The UK has not yet raised a mooted return to a Northern

Ireland-only backstop with the European Union, an EU official said, adding that

talks taking place twice a week in Brussels remain focused on the Irish backstop

at the heart of the current impasse ahead of the Oct. 31 Brexit deadline.

     "The talks do focus on Ireland-Northern Ireland, but going back to the

originally proposed (Northern Ireland-only) backstop is not discussed," the EU

Brexit official told MNI.

     The NI-only backstop has been touted as a potential solution to the

deadlock between the EU and the UK and EU officials agree that they would be

open to it should it be proposed by the UK, given that it was the EU's original

suggestion for dealing with Northern Ireland.

     "This was the original EU proposal, it was the UK government at the time

that insisted on the UK-wide approach."

     The source added that he was not aware of any UK proposal to put the

NI-only backstop proposal on the table.

     Another EU official with knowledge of the talks said it was his impression

that the Northern-Ireland discussion seemed only to be taking place "internally

in the UK" and not in the twice-a-week talks in Brussels.

     The same source said French official comments ruling out a further delay to

Brexit were beginning to finding increasing agreement among a growing number of

countries. That said, he added that it would be difficult for the EU not to

grant such an extension if it was requested by the UK for a good reason, such as

holding general election.

--MNI London Bureau; +44 203 865 3829; email: jason.webb@marketnews.com

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