Next few days critical on Northern Ireland border issues: former Irish PM

LONDON, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Former Irish prime minister Enda Kenny on Thursday expressed his concerns over the question of the land border between Ireland and Britain's Northern Ireland.

"This is not a case of Britain negotiating with Ireland as always happened in the past. This is a case of Britain negotiating with the EU of which Ireland is a member, and will remain a member," he told Xinhua in an interview in Liverpool.

"The media have reported that the next few weeks are important in the Brexit negotiations. But I believe that the next few days are critical," he said, adding that the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, will in Dublin on Friday and the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, is to meet British prime minister on Monday.

"That means that the European Council, the European Commission and the European Union will have to be clear by the middle of next week about the progress made on the three particular issues before they agree to go on to stage two of the negotiations," said Kenny.

Those three issues are citizens rights, the so-called divorce bill to be paid by Britain for leaving the EU and the question of the Northern Ireland border.

"It is going to be difficult next week, but you have got to believe it will be positive. Politicians have to lead and leaders have to have the courage to make choices and to take risks," he said.

Since the foundation of the Irish Republic, the people of Britain and Ireland have shared common travel area rights, with no borders. Once Britain leaves the EU, the border with Ireland will be the only EU border within the British Isles.

Looking to next week's crunch decisions, Kenny said: "I think the question of a departure bill will happen and citizen's rights will be looked after. The question is what is going to be the relationship between Ireland and England. We are coming from Ireland being a full member of the EU rather than just the Irish Republic."

"You cannot have a return to a hard border with customs posts. We spent 30 years putting together the Good Friday Agreement... Nobody wants to go back to there... It is surmountable, but how is the question that has to be answered," he added.

Kenny said he hopes that "progress can be made, but if it is to be made, it has to be made clear what is on offer". Enditem