British government announces unilateral plan to change Northern Ireland protocol | The world

In a highly-anticipated speech in the House of Commons, Foreign Minister Lis Truss announced in Northern Ireland that he “intends to introduce legislation to establish changes to the code of conduct in the coming weeks.”

“Our preference is for a negotiated settlement with the EU, and with the proposed legislation, we will remain open to further negotiations if the same outcome can be reached through a negotiated agreement,” he added, urging Brussels to change its mind. In the hope of not provoking a trade war with former European partners.

The European union Warned that he would be compelled to take all available measures if any United Kingdom Emphasize unilateral changes in the special protocol negotiated for Northern Ireland As part of Brexit.

“If United Kingdom Deciding to move forward with a bill that would invalidate elements that make up the government-like protocol United Kingdom The European Union (EU) has said in a statement that it will not comment on the value or accuracy of the information which was allegedly leaked to the EU.

Preserving the weak balance of power since the start of the Brexit talks in 2017 Northern IrelandHistorically and culturally very close to the neighboring Republic of Ireland – a member state of the European Union – has always been the biggest obstacle to overcome.

And in spite of United Kingdom Officially leaving the camp in February 2020, and in January 2021, the “protocol” is now again stirring tensions not only between London and Brussels, but also with Belfast’s regional autonomous bodies.

The Good Friday Peace Accord of 1998 ended three decades of violent conflict between Protestant trade unions and the Northern Irish Catholic Republican Party, mandating that both parties share power in the regional administration of this 1.9 million British nation.

However, 12 days after the historic victory of Republican Sinn Fin – defending the reunification of the former political wing of the armed group IRA and Ireland – in the regional assembly elections, the Unionist Party blocked the TUP autonomous parliament and refused to form it. Government until London changes protocol.

It is unacceptable for the Republicans to prevent a return to a physical border with the Republic of Ireland, which would be detrimental to the weak peace, and the protocol imposes tariff restrictions on goods coming into the region from other parts of the country. United Kingdom.

Trade unionists denounce this as threatening their place in the country.

London, which has been asking the EU for months to reconsider the text in depth, says it “never recommended rejecting it” but “reforming it.”

“The question is how to do it,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said after a meeting with representatives of five regional parties in Belfast on Monday.

“We want to do it in a consensual way with our friends and allies, to minimize problems,” he told the EU.

“We have always tried to approach the issue peacefully. This is the view of both the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State,” Downing Street spokeswoman Truss said in a statement to the House of Commons.

The EU, which has already stated its readiness to “adjust” the protocol, said it did not want to reconsider it, saying it was “unacceptable” for both sides to negotiate and sign off and to stop using it unilaterally. Mutual trust, except in violation of international law.

DUP unionists, who do not openly believe, said they would not allow Sinn Fin to return to office on Monday. Northern IrelandIt may take months for Michelle O’Neill to accept the post of regional prime minister, with legislative change, until London moves from words to deeds.

The U.S. government, which has acted as a guarantor of the Good Friday agreement, has expressed concern about the recommendations United Kingdom The use of text designed to guarantee peace can be unilaterally suppressed.