The top Democrat in the US Congress has warned that lawmakers would block a trade pact with Britain if its exit from the EU undermines Northern Ireland's peace accord.
President Donald Trump and senior advisors to Britain's new Prime Minister Boris Johnson have spoken of fast-tracking a trade deal once Brexit is complete. Vice President Mike Pence travels to Britain and Ireland next month to discuss expanding commerce.
But any such agreement would need the green light from Congress, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- Trump's political nemesis on Capitol Hill -- made clear on Wednesday that she would not play ball if the Irish peace deal were put at risk.
The island of Ireland is divided into Northern Ireland -- part of the United Kingdom that is thus set to leave the European Union -- and the neighbouring Republic of Ireland, a separate EU member state.
Reimposing controls along their shared border if Britain leaves without a deal -- a so-called "hard Brexit" -- would put the 1998 peace accord in jeopardy.
"Whatever form it takes, Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil the Good Friday Agreement, including the seamless border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland," Pelosi said in a statement.
"If Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be no chance of a US-UK trade agreement passing the Congress."
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