AN ASSAULT ON INTER STATE RELATIONS
John Bruton
Non Executive Director at Ingersoll Rand, Irish Diaspora Loan Origination Fund and CEPS
ALL TRADE RESTS ON RESPECT FOR TREATIES
The fact that the UK government is now saying it will pass legislation that will break an international Treaty it signed and ratified little over a year ago, is very serious. It undermines Britain’s aspiration to be a globally trading nation.
All trade between nations rests, ultimately, on respect for Treaties and contracts.
Deliberately breaching commitments, freely given in a Treaty, undermines the whole structure of global relations between states.
If one cannot rely on a commitment in a Treaty, nothing is reliable.
The EU only continues to exist because its member states respect the Treaties that set it up ( as some seem to have forgotten in another context recently).
If the UK, by its breach of the Withdrawal Treaty commitments it gave on checks on goods going from Britain to Northern Ireland, forces Ireland to introduce checks on the Irish land border, in order to protect Ireland’s status as a fully complaint EU member, it will undermine the structure that has brought peace to these islands.
We could be living with the consequences of this long after Boris Johnson has passed from the political scene.
Founder of Tip Path Inc. Inventor 100% Sustainable ENERGY
4 年John Bruton: Your good friend William H. Gates Sr. R.I.P. 15-SEP-2020, passed away yesterday. My condolences... You introduced me to Bill Gates Sr. at Seattle World Affairs when you and Bill Gates Sr. awarded ROY PROSTERMAN of www.landesa.org (changed names now) the World Citizen's Award, Many thanks for you and Bill Gates, Sr. lecturing about Prosterman contributions to global "Peace".?? https://www.gatesnotes.com/About-Bill-Gates/Remembering-Bill-Gates-Sr Bill Gates Sr., Father Of Microsoft Co-Founder, Dies At 94 https://www.npr.org/2020/09/16/913437155/bill-gates-sr-father-of-microsoft-cofounder-dies-at-94 My cousin Wendy lived next door to Bill Gates Jr. and was best friends with Bill Gates sister, now, also serves (or served) as Kristianne?"Gates"?Blake?PS,?did serve or is serving as Chairman?of?Russell?Investment?Company?and?Chairman?at?Russell?Investment Funds. She is also on the board of Avista Corp. As a child I played with Bill Gates?when he came to Wendy's house with his sister Kristianne?in Seattle neighborhood... Also, one of Bill Gates Aunts was me next-door neighbor. where I live now. Gates Sr. in emails linked Wendy back to Kristianne, so my cousin could reconnect, again thanks! "It's A small world after all!"
Helping organisations to re-establish momentum & grow to full potential
4 年Couldn't be clearer.
Founder of Tip Path Inc. Inventor 100% Sustainable ENERGY
4 年John Bruton: I believe in what YOU say about European policy more than anyone else because I have researched your statements over TIME. All were "validated". I enjoyed visiting with you in person too. Amazing!
Senior Research Fellow, Harris Manchester College and Honorary Fellow, Pembroke College, Oxford University
4 年Quite right, John. The approach of PM Johnston is disastrous and we will be doing all we can in Parliament to stop it.
Expert in Irish, EU, UK, South and East Asian Policy.
4 年Well said.