Thread by @antoguerrera

BREAKING. Irish Foreign minister @simoncoveney tells me: "There is a real intent in London to try to resolve the #Brexit protocol issues through negotiation over the next few weeks and months. And I think the EU will respond to that generously. In fact, I know they will." 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇮🇪

Coveney: "I think there is an agreement between the British and Irish Governments and certainly, I think there's a view within the British government now that an election at this time in Northern Ireland really serves no positive purpose. It would be a very polarising..."

"...election through the winter at a time when households are focusing on the cost of living at a time when businesses are under pressure. And so to push a potential election back into next year, to give some space for us to try to resolve some of the other issues."
#coveney

Coveney: "If we try to skip the part of trying to rebuild relationships and institutions and go straight to calls for a border poll, I think that will lead to even more polarisation and instability in politics in Northern Ireland which I think would be very difficult to manage"

Coveney: "We need to get this issue behind us in terms of the protocol in a way that respects intnl treaties. The EU is willing to show significant flexibility, to take into account regional concerns, particularly Northern Ireland. I think that's doable by the end of the year"

.@simoncoveney: "I've spoken to Sir Jeffrey Donaldson @J_Donaldson_MP a number of times about this, and I believe that he wants the DUP to be back in a devolved functioning government in Northern Ireland."

Coveney: "I do believe there is an opportunity now with the new British PM [@RishiSunak] to focus on resolving the Brexit protocol issues through negotiation in a real sense. We've heard that from previous PMs, but it hasn't really manifested itself in real honest negotiation"

@simoncoveney warns though: "The Irish government's position has remained consistent based on the issues themselves. This is still the position. We are very much the EU when it comes to this issue.The EU will be very firm in terms of protecting the integrity of its Single Market"