At a joint press conference in Dublin, the Taoiseach of Ireland Enda Kenny and French president Francois Hollande urged British Prime Minister Theresa May for a quick trigger of the Article 50 exit clause which would formally begin the negotiations of the UK’s exit terms. Both said that orderly negotiations should begin as soon as possible.

Mr. Kenny said that France and Ireland are the closest neighbor of the UK and have unique and specific concerns that need addressing. Yesterday, British Prime Minister Theresa May met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who played the good cop role and was more open to giving the UK a more breathing space before Article 50 is triggered.

France has been keeping order in Calais where migrants have been trying to gain access into the United Kingdom. France had already threatened the Kingdom before the referendum that may give up keeping orders and UK would have to manage on their own. France has also welcomed the banks who would like to leave the UK amid uncertainties. Ireland, on the other hand, has a different set of concerns and the major one is, if the UK leaves the European Union, then Southern Ireland, which is a part of European Union with have different trade rules compared to Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK. Ireland wants to address the possibility of a united Ireland in the event of Brexit.