THE British Prime Minister has promised to protect the Good Friday Agreement and Common Travel Area in a speech to EU leaders in Florence.
Theresa May said she wants the UK to thrive side by side with the European Union in the landmark and conciliatory speech to outline the Brexit process.
Regarding Ireland she said both Britain and the EU want to maintain a common travel area and reject a new physical border.
"We will protect progress made in Northern Ireland over recent years – and the lives and livelihoods that depend on this progress," she said.
"We and the EU have committed to protecting the Belfast Agreement and the Common Travel Area.
"We have both stated explicitly that we will not accept any physical infrastructure at the border.
“We owe it to the people of Northern Ireland – and indeed to everyone on the island of Ireland – to see through these commitments.”
The PM also used the 35-minute speech to outline plans for a two-year implementation period to smooth the Brexit process, as talks with the EU over a ‘divorce’ deal continue to stall.
Talks between the British Government and the EU over Brexit have continued to stall of late (Picture: Getty Images)Mrs May said neither the British Government nor the EU expected the full process of Brexit to be concluded on March 29 2019 when the UK formally leaves.
She proposed an implementation period during which "the existing structure of EU rules and regulations" would apply – and EU citizens would continue to be able to "live and work" in Britain under a registration scheme.
"As of today, these considerations point to an implementation period of around two years.”
She added that she hopes the continuing talks between the UK and EU to strike a Brexit agreement will happen in a “respectful and quick” manner.
“If we can do that, then when this chapter of our European history is written, it will be remembered not for the differences we faced but for the vision we showed,” she said.
“Not for the challenges we endured but for the creativity we used to overcome them, not for a relationship that ended but a new partnership that began.
“A partnership of interests, a partnership of values and a partnership of ambition for a shared future – the UK and the EU side by side delivering prosperity and opportunity for all our people.
“This is the future within our grasp – so, together, let us seize it.”
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