US President-Elect Does Not Want To See 'Guarded Border'

US President-elect Joe Biden has said that it is important to keep the border in Ireland open.

Biden, who is known to have Irish roots, has said that he had spoken with both Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Taoiseach Micheál Martin about the issue of the Irish border.

Speaking to reporters in the US on Tuesday, Mr Biden said he did not want to see a "guarded border". He continued: "We want to make sure — we've worked too long to get Ireland worked out … The idea of having a border north and south once again being closed is just not right, we've just got to keep the border open."

Welcoming the comments, Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard said that there should absolutely be no hard border in Ireland.

The South Down MP said: "I welcome the President-Elect of the United States, Joe Biden, again reiterating that there can be no return to a hard border in Ireland.

"His latest comments in support of the Irish peace process follows previous commitments by Joe Biden that there will be no trade deal between the US and Britain if the Good Friday Agreement is beached.

"Throughout the Brexit negotiations, senior politicians from both mainstream political parties in the United States have stood strong and stood firm in their protection of our peace process.

"Their message has been consistently clear: any breach of the Good Friday Agreement is unacceptable and will ensure there is no trade deal between the US and Britain.

"As we enter this crucial phase of the Brexit negotiations with less than 36 days until the end of the transition period, the British government must fulfil their legal obligations as contained in both the Good Friday Agreement, and the EU Withdrawal Agreement."