British, Irish prime ministers hold Brexit talks

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON

The British and Irish prime ministers agreed on a “friction-free” Brexit negotiation process after a meeting in Ireland’s capital Monday.

British Prime Minister Theresa May visited Dublin after holding a meeting in Cardiff with the representatives of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales to discuss plans for the U.K.’s exit from the European Union.

Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny reiterated their commitment to the Good Friday Agreement in a joint press conference, saying that they favor seamless border controls between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Echoing Kenny, May also said there will be no return to a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

May added that the U.K. will remain a reliable partner for Ireland.

Earlier, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she needs to see "tangible evidence" that the U.K. government will take proposals from the Scottish government for a special deal on European single-market membership.

Sturgeon added that time was "fast running out" for an agreement to be reached.

Arlene Foster, the leader of Northern Ireland’s Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and Sinn Fein's new Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill also attended the Cardiff meeting chaired by May and also asked her for a greater role in the Brexit negotiations.

O'Neill said Northern Ireland should have “designated special status” within the EU.

"I told Prime Minister May that the government at Westminster should respect the vote of the people in the north and that we should be designated special status within the EU,” O’Neill said.