BRUSSELS, 02 March. - (ANA) - Brussels is ready to give the UK further "guarantees, assurances and clarifications" that the Irish backstop should only be temporary, Michel Barnier has said.

 

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator insisted that the controversial measure, intended to avoid a hard border on Ireland, will not be removed from the Withdrawal Agreement.

 

While acknowledging Brexiteer concerns that the backstop is a trap that would keep the UK tied to the EU indefinitely, Mr Barnier insisted it is only "insurance" intended for the "worst-case scenario".

 

Speaking to German newspaper Die Welt, Mr Barnier said: "We know that there are misgivings in Britain that the backstop could keep Britain forever connected to the EU.

 

"This is not the case. And we are ready to give further guarantees, assurances and clarifications that the backstop should only be temporary."

 

“We are ready to give further guarantees, assurances and clarifications that the backstop should only be temporary”, Barnier said.

 

The guarantees in question could come as an adjunct to the withdrawal agreement in the form of an "interpretive document".

 

However the EU will not allow for a time limit to be placed on the backstop or give Britain the right to unilaterally pull out of it, Mr Barnier said.

 

The development came as the president of Slovenia suggested the country and many other EU states would be willing to accept a short delay to Brexit.

 

Borut Pahor, who sat on the European Council of leaders when he was prime minister, told Sky News: "I think Slovenia and a lot of other countries would say yes.

 

"I think that nobody wants to see a hard Brexit in a chaotic way, which would damage London and Brussels and Ljubljana and every country."  - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/02 March 2019 - - -