Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney
An extension to Britain's post-Brexit transition period cannot be an alternative to the "backstop" agreement governing the Irish border, Ireland's foreign minister was quoted as saying on Monday by the Irish Times newspaper.
"There will be no withdrawal agreement without the backstop, end of story," Coveney was quoted by the newspaper as saying when asked about a suggestion by Brexit minister Dominic Raab on Sunday that an extension could be an alternative to the backstop.
Raab on Sunday said he would consider an extension on the condition that it would "solve the backstop issue so that falls away then as a possibility."
Britain is open-minded about extending the post-Brexit transition period if it means the European Union drops its proposals for the so-called Irish backstop, Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday."If we need a bridge from the end of the implementation period to the future relationship ... I am open minded about using a short extension of the implementation period," Raab told BBC TV.Video: UK Brexit minister Raab says open-minded on extending post-Brexit transition"It is an obvious possible route as long as it is short, perhaps a few months, and secondly that we know how we get out of it and obviously it has to solve the backstop issue so that that falls away then as a possibility."Raab also said he thought a deal needed to be done by the end of November in order to get the legislation through the UK parliament in time.Thousands take to streets in London demanding second Brexit voteIreland insists on Brexit 'backstop'EU's Barnier says Brexit deal 90 pct done, but Ireland issue could derail it
UK Brexit minister Raab says open-minded on extending post-Brexit transition