German foreign minister Heiko Maas and UK Prime Minister Theresa May (Image: GETTY)
The foreign ministers of Ireland and Germany, Simon Coveney and Heiko Maas, spoke yesterday in Dublin about the possibility of extending Article 50. There have been reports UK officials have been exploring the possibility of extending the Brexit deadline past March 29. However, Mr Maas said it was “not the time” to consider this as MPs could still back Mrs May’s deal.
The German foreign minister urged Parliament to back the agreement, as a no-deal Brexit would be a blow to Germany and was “something that we intend to prevent at any possible cost”.
He added: “There is too much at stake to take this lightly.
“We urge our British friends to act responsibly and unite behind the agreement that we have spent so much time and effort negotiating.”
Meanwhile, his Irish counterpart, Mr Coveney, said Ireland would not block a “justified” request to extend the deadline.
Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney (Image: GETTY)
He said: