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'Frustrating and disappointing' that latest Brexit talks have stalled - Simon Coveney

'Frustrating and disappointing' that latest Brexit talks have stalled - Simon Coveney

It is frustrating and disappointing that Brexit talks have stalled, according to the Tánaiste.

Simon Coveney is attending a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers in Luxembourg after Brexit negotiations last night failed to reach a deal on the border with the North.

Talks have now been delayed until Wednesday's crucial summit of EU leaders.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney believes a deal can be done, despite this latest setback

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"That is frustrating and disappointing from an Irish perspective - as the country that is more exposed to the fallout of Brexit than any other EU country, outside the UK itself," said the Tánaiste.

"For us, we want to see an outcome here that settles nerves, that allows us to move ahead with a managed, sensible Brexit. I think it is still possible to do that."

Mr Coveney added that Dublin and the EU simply wanted UK Prime Minister Theresa May to follow through with agreements already made in March and December.

He said: "A backstop can't be time-limited. The backstop will be there unless and until something else is agreed, but unless you have something to replace it well then the backstop needs to be there as an insurance mechanism.

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"That is all we are asking for, that's all the Michel Barnier taskforce is also looking for now in terms of legal text."

Later this evening, DUP leader Arlene Foster is meeting Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for a private dinner in Dublin.

It is understood she will stress a desire for a strong relationship between the North and Ireland to continue post-Brexit.

She will tell Mr Varadkar that she wants to see a deal that works for both jurisdictions.

It is understood Mrs Foster will seek to strike a conciliatory tone with Mr Varadkar after a year that has seen relations between the pair fray over Brexit.

On her visit to the Irish capital, Mrs Foster will also meet Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

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