LONDON, Jan 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) – British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said during a visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland, that, he hopes and is “confident” to secure a zero-tariff, zero-quota agreement with the European Union (EU).
Addressing concerns over possible checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea after Brexit, Johnson told reporters that, “I cannot see any circumstances whatever, in which there would be any need for checks on goods going from Northern Ireland to GB (Great Britain).”
“The only circumstances in which you could imagine the need for checks coming from GB to NI (Northern Ireland), as I have explained before, is, if those goods were going on into Ireland, and we had not secured — which I hope and am confident we will — a zero-tariff, zero-quota agreement with our friends and partners in the EU,” he said.
Johnson’s visit came, three days after Northern Ireland’s two major parties, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein, agreed on a draft deal, to restore a power-sharing government, breaking a three-year political deadlock.
Northern Ireland First Minister, Arlene Foster of the DUP and Deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill of Sinn Fein, received Johnson at Stormont, seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
“This is an historic time for the people of Northern Ireland. After three years, Stormont is open for business again, with an Executive, who can now move forward with improving people’s lives and delivering for all communities in Northern Ireland,” Johnson stated.
