Irish backstop can't be changed for Brexit deal - Estonian president

 

FILE PHOTO: A road which crosses the border from County Donegal in Ireland to County Londonderry in Northern Ireland, is seen from near the border village of Lenamore, Ireland, February 1, 2018. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo

 

MUNICH (Reuters) - There can be no changes to the Irish "backstop", an arrangement to avoid a hard border between European Union member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland after Brexit, Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid told Reuters.

 

Many British lawmakers, especially in Prime Minister Theresa May's governing Conservative Party, fear the backstop will trap the UK in a permanent customs union with the EU after Brexit.

 

They are withholding support for the Brexit deal negotiated between May and the EU, raising the prospect Britain will leave the bloc on March 29 without an orderly transition arrangement in place - something that could disrupt trade and other ties.

 

Ireland and the rest of the EU say there is no credible alternative to the backstop, which would prevent customs and other checks having to be conducted after Brexit on the border between the Irish republic and Northern Ireland.

 

The removal of a hard border was a key element of restoring peace to the island of Ireland after decades of conflict.

 

Asked about British demands to change the backstop, Kaljulaid, whose country joined the EU in 2004, told Reuters at the Munich Security Conference: "This is not possible."

 

Asked if a time limit could be put on the backstop, she added: "Then it is not a backstop any more. We agreed that there will be an Irish backstop. It can't be changed."

 

Kaljulaid nonetheless said she was concerned about Britain leaving the EU without reaching a deal with the bloc.

 

"We are all concerned ... A no deal Brexit – if it will happen – will be a huge problem. It would be terribly difficult administratively," she said.

 

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Mark Potter)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-18

Estonia dictating to the UK. One more reason to leave with or without a deal on March 29!!!!

Perhaps someone should remind Her Excellency President Kaljulaid of Estonia about "Operation Cabrit", the ongoing deployment of a British Army battlegroup (some 900 soldiers with armoured vehicles) to Estonia as part (a very significant part) of the NATO effort to defend her country?

Edited February 17, 20197 yr by JAG

51 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

Estonia dictating to the UK. 

Really? How?

 

34 minutes ago, JAG said:

Perhaps someone should remind Her Excellency President Kaljulaid of Estonia about "Operation Cabrit", the ongoing deployment of a British Army battlegroup (some 900 soldiers with armoured vehicles) to Estonia as part (a very significant part) of the NATO effort to defend her country?

Why? 

52 minutes ago, JAG said:

Perhaps someone should remind Her Excellency President Kaljulaid of Estonia about "Operation Cabrit", the ongoing deployment of a British Army battlegroup (some 900 soldiers with armoured vehicles) to Estonia as part (a very significant part) of the NATO effort to defend her country?

All for totally selfless reasons?!

 

Not.

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

Estonia dictating to the UK. One more reason to leave with or without a deal on March 29!!!!

It was explained in the debates before the referendum that the process of getting a deal with Europe was reliant upon getting every single one of the 27 EU members to cast their sovereign and and independent vote in the UK’s favour.

 

Perhaps you had a mental block over the idea that each EU member has a sovereign and independent vote.

The Hard Brexiteers do not represent the UK, notwithstanding their self-appointed status.

It looks like a full stop to me If no deal ????

I want to know how the UK can play hardball with these Euros? Trade Wars are easy to win, what is so hard about an exit war ?

1 minute ago, IAMHERE said:

Trade Wars are easy to win,...

Got evidence for that?

20 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

Trade Wars are easy to win (.....)

 

18 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Got evidence for that?

A plastic gunboat.

3 hours ago, JAG said:

Perhaps someone should remind Her Excellency President Kaljulaid of Estonia about "Operation Cabrit", the ongoing deployment of a British Army battlegroup (some 900 soldiers with armoured vehicles) to Estonia as part (a very significant part) of the NATO effort to defend her country?

NATO relationships are not affected by Brexit other than UK may not continue to meet its GDP defense commitments to NATO if its economy slows because of a No Brexit Deal.

4 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Estonia dictating to the UK. One more reason to leave with or without a deal on March 29!!!!

Estonia being honest and forthright - one more reason Brexit was flawed from the beginning.

58 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

Trade Wars are easy to win, what is so hard about an exit war ?

And if that line of thinking doesn’t work they can suggest building a wall across Ireland... That Estonia will pay for!!!... 

Check the change in GDP growth in China and USA.  If that is too hard then check the Chinese stock market with the USA one.

Oh Yes we can...

 

Say's the pantomime fairy,

51 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

 

A plastic gunboat.

We will need it to patrol UK waters to keep the pesky French and Spanish fishing boats out, 

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It was explained in the debates before the referendum that the process of getting a deal with Europe was reliant upon getting every single one of the 27 EU members to cast their sovereign and and independent vote in the UK’s favour.

 

Perhaps you had a mental block over the idea that each EU member has a sovereign and independent vote.

Must be nice for the smaller members to cast their sovereign and independent vote on a parity with all the other members because, lets face it, under the normal, day to day, Qualified Majority Voting procedure used in the EU their votes were worth less than the big three of Germany, France and the UK (soon to be Germany, France and Italy).

58 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Estonia being honest and forthright - one more reason Brexit was flawed from the beginning.

Let's hope he is being "honest and forthright" insofar as Estonia will veto any changes to May and the EU's agreement.

 

No deal it is then ????.

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

NATO relationships are not affected by Brexit other than UK may not continue to meet its GDP defense commitments to NATO if its economy slows because of a No Brexit Deal.

You are of course correct, however my point is that it is perhaps a little bit umh, ungrateful (?) to proclaim in such a way when we are supplying (and paying for) a significant part of the force which defends Estonia against a very real existential threat.

 

No doubt we will continue to contribute effectively (unlike some of our EU partners) to the NATO defence posture, in the Baltic States and elsewhere, after we leave the EU.

11 minutes ago, nahkit said:

Must be nice for the smaller members to cast their sovereign and independent vote on a parity with all the other members because, lets face it, under the normal, day to day, Qualified Majority Voting procedure used in the EU their votes were worth less than the big three of Germany, France and the UK (soon to be Germany, France and Italy).

You do not know how the EU works?

 

There are simple parliamentary majorities. The seat distributions in the parliament you can google yourself. And there are country-specific majorities and unanimity rules on each country's right of veto. In the past, the UK has often blocked alone regulations, especially on workers' rights.

11 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

You do not know how the EU works?

 

There are simple parliamentary majorities. The seat distributions in the parliament you can google yourself. And there are country-specific majorities and unanimity rules on each country's right of veto. In the past, the UK has often blocked alone regulations, especially on workers' rights.

As far as Brexit is concerned the upper EU body, Council of PMs/Heads of States

has agreed a modus operandi requiring consensus, real consensus.

 

Silly nonsense comment from Estonia really...if it suits Germany, France or the EU/Brussels agenda then anything can be changed at any time for any reason.

Estonia don't want UK to leave because we may not support them as well as we have done the EU can do it instead.

Why not Brexit from NATO as well and save more money. 

Looks a bit out of the ordinary to me that small (reasonably modern) countries

like Estonia jump on the bandwagon and gets loudmouthed re Backstop and Brexit.

 

What interest would Estonia have re Backstop or the Irish throating each other?

 

(have seen politicians from Estonia sticking their neck very very far out before)

 

 

8 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

Looks a bit out of the ordinary to me that small (reasonably modern) countries

like Estonia jump on the bandwagon and gets loudmouthed re Backstop and Brexit.

 

What interest would Estonia have re Backstop or the Irish throating each other?

 

(have seen politicians from Estonia sticking their neck very very far out before)

 

 

Because Estonia appreciates the importance of smaller member States in the EU being treated with respect.

It is interesting that one of the complaints of Brexiteers re: the EU was how this supposedly faceless monolith made the rules by which we had to abide, but now they are getting bent out of shape when a relatively small member state is doing exactly what they claimed the EU prevented member states from doing. 

6 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Estonia dictating to the UK. One more reason to leave with or without a deal on March 29!!!!

 

Stupid woman wants her 5 minutes of fame! Once Putin decides to take the Baltic States back she'll be hoping Britain and the US will help stop him; because her piss-pot country couldn't.

 

At the end of the day, they'll all do what Merkel tells them, including Juncker. Germany controls the money - end of.

5 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

It is interesting that one of the complaints of Brexiteers re: the EU was how this supposedly faceless monolith made the rules by which we had to abide, but now they are getting bent out of shape when a relatively small member state is doing exactly what they claimed the EU prevented member states from doing. 

 

But Estonia isn't doing anything actually. Just reiterating what the 27 member states agreed to. 

 

And to be fair, if Merkel cracks the whip, Estonia will do as told. 

 

 

6 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Estonia dictating to the UK. One more reason to leave with or without a deal on March 29!!!!

Changing the backstop requires 27 EU countries agreeing. When Estonia says NO, it means the EU says no.

Also, and more to the point: It is England (Not Wales, or Scotland) that is trying to dictate 27 united countries.

Wake up and smell the complete odour o the material you are currently in.