Ireland and the United Kingdom are co-sponsors of the Good Friday Agreement, which has secured almost 25 years of peace and security in Northern Ireland. Ireland and the United Kingdom have worked in close partnership to achieve successive steps in the peace process, including the Anglo-Irish Agreement with Margaret Thatcher and the Downing Street Declaration under John Major. As your friend and neighbor, I am deeply concerned for the well-being of the partnership between our countries.
In lengthy negotiations to leave the United Kingdom from the EU, both sides agreed that, given the nature of its history, geography and politics, Brexit poses particular challenges for Northern Ireland. Both sides agreed that these challenges need a unique solution.
This decision, freely chosen and developed jointly by the British government and the EU, was the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland. I am therefore concerned that the British Government is now considering adopting legislation to remove elements of the Protocol.
The United Kingdom has always – rightly – been critical of those countries that do not comply with international legal obligations. The move to non-implementation of the Protocol would be a serious violation of international law. This fact cannot be disputed by the defenders of this move. This will not only damage the trust between the EU and the United Kingdom, but will also undermine the United Kingdom’s international reputation and its position as a strong voice in the rule of law. I urge our friends in the United Kingdom to think carefully before violating international law.
At a time when the international order that the United Kingdom has successfully defended since World War II is under great pressure, world democracies must stand together. Our cooperation in response to Russia’s barbaric attacks on Ukraine shows what the partnership can do.
The claim that Good Friday Agreement and the Protocol are incompatible is insincere and dangerous. Taken together, they are a powerful expression of what negotiations and partnership can achieve. The first has been at the heart of peace and prosperity for the last 25 years; the latter, if properly implemented, will consolidate this achievement and bring real opportunities to the people of Northern Ireland.
There have been many unsubstantiated comments about the protocol recently. Let me address two key points.
First, the Protocol does not weaken the sovereignty of the United Kingdom or the place of Northern Ireland in the Union. Article 1 explicitly recognizes that the constitutional status of Northern Ireland can only be changed with the consent of a majority of its people, in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement.
Second, the Protocol has democratic legitimacy; he was clearly supported in the 2019 general elections, in which the current government campaigned for him. It was subsequently ratified by a large majority in parliament. Just 10 days ago, Northern Ireland elected a majority of the MLAs in support of the Protocol, 53 out of 90. I respect the clear mandate given by these democratic processes, as well as others.
This does not mean that the Protocol works as smoothly or as easily as it could. A large minority in Northern Ireland is dissatisfied with some aspects of it. I respect that and I want to find practical solutions to address their concerns. After being in Belfast this week, I am absolutely convinced that there is a landing area for pragmatic and workable approaches to all these issues.
The EU’s proposals will significantly reduce checks on goods moving between the UK and Northern Ireland, create express lanes and give Northern Ireland more influence over how the protocol works. Unfortunately, the full potential of these proposals has never been explored by the United Kingdom.
I am concerned about the apparent desire of the British Government to choose a path of confrontation and unilateral action in a way that will not contribute to peace and security in Northern Ireland.
Ireland has always recognized the importance of having a strong relationship with our closest neighbor. This is not only because of our joint management of the successive agreements that underpin peace and security in Northern Ireland, but because most people in Ireland, myself included, have close families and friends in the United Kingdom. Increased tension is the last thing we want to see.
In this post-election period, as parties seek to form the executive branch, the people and businesses of Northern Ireland want security, stability and security. Peace in Northern Ireland can only be defended through partnership and pragmatism. Unilateral action never leads to a sustainable result. If prosecuted, they will only deepen mistrust between the EU and the United Kingdom and make the agreement more difficult. Far from solving the problem in Northern Ireland, they will exacerbate insecurity, tensions and divisions. I urge our friends and partners in the United Kingdom to think again.
Simon Cowney is Ireland’s Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense
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