30/04/2018 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 30 April, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said in Dundalk, Ireland, that the Irish issue was in no way part of "a negotiation strategy" with London, and nor was the EU "playing tactics" with Ireland's vital interest. "I sometimes hear that, by insisting on a backstop, the EU is taking hostage the future relationship negotiations. I even read that the EU is trying to get the UK to change its red lines – and stay in the single market and/or a customs union. Or even to reverse Brexit", he said. "This is wrong. The backstop is not there to change the UK's red lines. It is there because of the UK's red lines". Barnier also said that progress was expected on this point at the European summit in June. (SP)